Wes Anderson Redesigned A Real Train And It Looks Straight Out Of A Film Set
A Belmond train. Video screenshot via Belmond
There will be no journeys to the Grand Budapest Hotel from here, but Wes Anderson film buffs wouldn’t be too bothered by the destination when this train carriage alone transports them into his world. The filmmaker has designed the interior of a Belmond British Pullman train, and his whimsical touch to it is unmistakable.
“I love trains!” Anderson proclaimed. “I have often had the chance to invent train compartments and carriages in my movies,” he added in a news release. “So I was very eager to make something new while also participating in the process of preservation which accompanies all the classic Belmond train projects. They are keeping something special alive. An endangered species of travel which is nevertheless very suited to our time.”
Image via Belmond
The revamp preserves the art deco style and swan theme of the 1950s Cygnus car, which itself is named after the swan Greek God of Balance. While these charming motifs might already be enough to bring Anderson’s vintage-inspired film sets to mind, he’s taken one step further by imbuing the carriage with surprising but complementary pops of emerald and pastel pink in the chairs, carpets, ceiling, and crockery.
Bold silhouettes of the train’s chairs and mirrors point to Anderson’s eye for symmetry, while marquetry work on wood panels teleports travelers to a land of fantasy with their clouds, sunbeams, stars, and waves.
Image via Belmond
“The result is a carriage straight out of one of his films: stunningly symmetrical marquetry, bold rectilinear shapes and a feast of complementary colors,” describes Belmond, formerly the Orient Express.
Image via Belmond
Meanwhile, the redesign honors the train’s heritage and keeps its silver-leaf ceiling—emulating reflections on water—as well as swan accents.
The Wes Anderson-designed train will take its first journey out from London’s Victoria Station on Wednesday, October 13, with tickets starting from £400 (US$544) per head. Find out more here.
Image via Belmond
Image via Belmond
Image via Belmond
Image via Belmond
[via Architectural Digest, images via Belmond]
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