On 15 May, Belmond's British Pullman will debut a new private dining car named Celia, originally built in 1932. The carriage's interior has been designed by film director Baz Luhrmann and his wife, production designer Catherine Martin, who created an Art Deco-inspired aesthetic featuring burl veneers, marquetry, stained glass, and their signature rich red. The couple invented a backstory for the car's namesake, a fictional 1930s Shakespearean actress, aiming to immerse guests in a narrative experience reminiscent of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This follows Belmond's previous collaborations with Wes Anderson and artist JR, as part of its strategy under LVMH ownership to commission high-profile creative figures for its heritage trains.
This collaboration matters because it blurs the line between functional design and conceptual art, positioning a luxury train carriage as a mobile artwork that offers an immersive, story-driven experience. It reflects a growing trend in the hospitality and travel sectors—especially among brands owned by luxury conglomerates like LVMH—to engage renowned artists and filmmakers to create unique, narrative-rich environments that elevate commercial spaces into cultural attractions. The project also highlights how heritage transportation is being reimagined as a canvas for contemporary artistic expression, appealing to affluent travelers seeking exclusive, art-infused journeys.