His time as James Bond left the image of a sleek, suited-up Daniel Craig burned into the world’s collective memory – so the actor’s new look left fans shocked.

Craig, along with Past Lives star Greta Lee, was tapped to front a campaign for luxury Spanish brand Loewe.

Shot by David Sims, the campaign saw a scruffy-faced Craig pose for a number of portraits in outfits that were a departure from his usual style, sporting everything from bulky knit jumpers to colourful patterned pants.

But it was his new long hairdo that sparked the most conversation.

Instant reaction

Social media users quickly began posting photos from the pictorial with creative captions describing what Craig looked like.

“Daniel Craig looks like he’s starring in a biopic on Jürgen Klopp’s student protest years,” one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Daniel Craig looks like a hacker working for Hans Gruber pic.twitter.com/QhUJhS42jx

— Tom Reagan’s Hat (@RufusTSuperfly) July 14, 2024

An Instagram user commented, “From Bond to Cool Uncle,” while another wrote, “Daniel Craig really just in the ‘Imma have fun’ era of his life and I’m here for it 10000 per cent”.

‘Distinctive aesthetic’

Loewe said in a statement that the campaign was “a study on how characters and their clothes are intimately related with much bravado and a confrontational stance”.

“The collection features works by American artist Richard Hawkins, whose collages adorned the showspace of the Loewe Fall Winter 2024 men’s runway,” the brand further explained on Instagram.

“Hawkins’ work merges pop cultural and historical figures and emblems into a vibrant, distinctive aesthetic.”

Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson also designed the costumes for Craig’s upcoming film Queer, directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Anderson and Guadagnino previously teamed up for this year’s hit Zendaya-starring film, Challengers.

Guadagnino told W Magazine in April that Queer was the movie of his life and something he had wanted to make since he was 20, while Anderson said he had “never worked on a creative project that has changed me more”.

Based on a novel of the same name by William S Burroughs, Queer will follow Lee (Craig), a man who becomes obsessed with a drug-using, recently-discharged American Navy serviceman (Drew Starkey).

The film, which is reportedly three hours long, is expected to be released later this year.