Inspired by Belmond’s one-of-a-kind hotels and destinations, ‘As Seen By’ is an collection of collectible photobooks with Parisian publisher RVB.
Photography has always been a mainstay of Belmond’s cultural passions, allowing us to work closely with talented imagemakers from around the world to bring our properties, destinations and communities to life. Last year, this saw the likes of Coco Capitán, François Halard, Jack Davison, Rosie Marks, Letizia Le Fur, Jeano Edwards and Chris Rhodes (among others) travel to Belmond destinations around the world as part of our Belmond Legends advertising campaign – from Brazil to South Africa to the Caribbean.
These commissions created a unique body of photographic work that form a bold new partnership with renowned Parisian publisher RVB. This new collection of ‘As Seen By’ photobooks expand on the photographers’ original take on their chosen destination, giving a more in-depth and intimate experience of each place.
Printed in Venice and bound with a cloth cover that graphically interprets each destination, the books are the start of an ongoing collectible series. The first three books have been created in collaboration with photographers Coco Capitán, Rosie Marks and Letizia Le Fur – discover more below.
Known for her playful eye and hand-scrawled musings, Capitán tapped into a life-long love of trains for her project aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Having been obsessed with the golden age of travel since childhood – harking back to a time when people roamed the world by sea and rail rather than jet engine – Capitán set about showing these hallowed 1920s carriages in a new light. Inviting a group of close friends on the journey with her, as well as embracing the staff and stewards of the train itself, the result is a riotous melee that blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction.
Marks’ signature style of bold colours and even bolder characters was a perfect fit for ‘The Nellie’, as Mount Nelson is affectionately known by Cape Town locals. Immediately honing in on the hotel staff as her heroes and heroines, Marks joined them in their daily rituals – from morning prayer circles to evening turn downs – resulting in a body of work that celebrates the people who make Mount Nelson tick. The backdrop to this human story is the blush pink of The Nellie herself, all framed by the towering majesty of cloud-caped Table Mountain.
LeFur’s colour palette of hyper-saturated hues and densely collaged vistas brought out a side of the Amalfi Coast rarely seen in print. Her work seems to hover somewhere between Renaissance painting and futuristic hologram, managing to effortless bridge the timeless and modern in a single composition. This is only appropriate for Caruso – a millennia old palace perched improbably between sky and sea on the clifftops of Ravello.
Photography credit (top to bottom):Coco Capitán, 'The minute you have a minute you run under the rain,' 2022. Courtesy of Coco Capitán Studio.Rosie Marks, 'Nellie', 2023. Courtesy of Rose MarksLetizia Le Fur, 'Caruso 038,' 2024. Courtesy of Letizia Le Fur.
With its mix of bucolic villages and bustling cities, Sicily has often found itself in front of the camera’s gaze. As the Taormina Film Festival celebrates its 70th edition, we take a whistle-stop tour to discover the island’s celluloid offerings.
The 70th edition of the Taormina Film Festival struck the perfect balance between big-name screenings, thoughtful programming about issues in the Mediterranean and an homage to Sicily itself. Read on to discover the highlights of a week full of cinema in this historic town.
In our series Ask The Concierge, we ask our most knowledgeable staff to give their insider tips on cities around the world. Today, we’re in the city of Samba with Anderson Azevedo, Head Concierge at Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro.
Discover ‘Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riviera’, a new cookbook collaboration between Belmond and Apartamento that blends food and travel.
If our walls could talk, they’d have countless tales to tell. Since 1923, Copacabana Palace has hosted some of the most glamorous moments — and stars — in Rio de Janeiro. A meeting place for the world’s most glittering names, from Josephine Baker to the Rolling Stones, we’re still the place where legends come to play. Join us as we look back at our Hall of Fame, picking one icon to represent each decade since we opened our doors.
The 4,500-seat Ancient Theatre – once a stage for the works of Aeschylus and Aristophanes – is now the storied setting for the Taormina Film Festival. As the festival celebrates a new milestone, we look back at seven decades of cinematic history.
Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian actress and television presenter Taís Araújo has curated a playlist that captures the sounds of the city and the atmosphere for a night spent dancing at Copacabana Palace.