Drawing inspiration from the British countryside, Shakespeare, and the extravagant and flamboyant flair characteristic of a Baz Luhrmann film set, the design concept of The British Pullman’s Celia follows the narrative of the Australian director’s fictional muse Celia. An emblem of playfulness and after-hours mischief, the imagined West End leading lady was gifted her own Pullman car in 1932 in honour of her era-defining performance as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As such, every detail of the carriage weaves together her life story and Shakespearean vernacular, creating a dreamlike cinematic atmosphere through every aspect of the carriage’s interiors.
Catherine Martin commented: “Celia tells the story of a true and authentic narrative. From the beginning, the project was always about unearthing the voyage and discovery of the British landscape and discovering it from within. The central design was built around storytelling in mind and how guests created their own narratives within the world of Celia. The carriage has been designed in such a way that it is modular and extremely customisable so guests can dial in their own experience in the fantastical make belief world Baz and I have created.”
Celia, the actress is caught in the moment, immortalised in the marquetry as Titania. To add to the textured feeling of the carriage, parquet floors complement the marquetry to give the impression guests are travelling through England’s storied forests. All the textured materials and interchangeable mood lighting has been installed to add to the sense of cinema in the carriage and can be adapted and customised on every British Pullman journey. A fabric covered ceiling has also been added to exemplify the space’s acoustics to help enhance live performances.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Hotel Designs.
