Crafting Art Deco Carriages
Crafting Art Deco Carriages

The new Suites aboard Venice Simplon-Orient-Express express a luxurious vision of art-deco indulgence. Meet the creative minds behind the project as they share their inspiration.
WIMBERLY INTERIORS: DESIGN


Rachel Johnson, senior studio director at Wimberly Interiors’ London office, was tasked with the re-design of the four suites, each one representing a different form of landscape: La Campagne (countryside), Les Montagnes (mountains), La Forêt (forest) and Les Lacs (lakes). Listen as she discusses how her team approached these unique design personalities, while staying loyal to the iconic train’s heritage.
ELOISE BARO: MOSAICS


Graduate from the acclaimed Mosaic School of Friuli in Spilimbergo, Italy, join Eloise in her workshop as she talks through the painstaking process of bringing a custom mosaic to life. Marvel at her timeless methods, using a hammer, hardie and her hands to create her large-scale designs that grace the Suites' floors.
VERRERIE DU MARAIS: GLASS BLOWING


Nicolas Diverchy invites us into his glassblowing workshop in France’s Clermont Ferrand, where glass glows red in burning kilns before being moulded into delicate pieces of bathroom glassware. Specialising in interiors and tableware, Verrerie du Marais continuously innovates in its quest to form, shape and celebrate glass in the world of interiors.
SÉBASTIEN DENIZARD: GLASS ETCHING


This Burgundy-based glassmaker specialises in etching blown glass into sumptuous patterns. With each piece taking around fifteen hours to perfect, discover his process and marvel at the intricate details needed to achieve the desired shape and finish.
RUBELLI: FABRICS


Rubelli, a heritage brand founded in 1858, are purveyors of the Venetian art of silk, taking heritage materials and making them relevant for today. Tasked with dressing the new Suites in sumptuous textiles, see how the studio took yarns and spun them on the loom to create magnificent patterns.
PHILIPPE ALLEMAND: MARQUETRY


A keen marquetry craftsman since his youth, Philippe Allemand guides you through the stages of creating intricate patterns out of wood. Creating the striking headboards that emulate different landscapes, Philippe and his team find excitement in the collaboration between design and handicraft.
The Suites
Each of our suites is inspired by a fusion of the landscape our train travels through and design from the Art Deco period.
Prepare to be immersed in diverse European scenery through glorious colours, patterns and textures. Plush fabrics and furnishings channel famed Art Deco designers, such as Dufrene and Lalique.
These reimagined suites were fully restored by expert craftsmen in France, and complement the existing Grand Suites and Historic Twins that make up our sumptuous on board experience.

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