Crafting Art Deco Carriages

Words by Belmond Editors

Crafting Art Deco Carriages

Seen from above, a craftswoman creates mosaic panels for the suites, with peacock, peaks, scallop and circle patterns.

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.

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WIMBERLY INTERIORS: DESIGN

A hand, belonging to Rachel Johnson, senior studio director at Wimberly Interiors, rests on fabric swatches and wood samples.
1 minute 30 seconds

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.

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ELOISE BARO: MOSAICS

Eloise Baro, a graduate from the Mosaic School of Friuli in Spilimbergo, Italy, sketches out a pattern on a drawing board.
1 minute 28 seconds

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.

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VERRERIE DU MARAIS: GLASS BLOWING

Glassblower Nicolas Diverchy, in a black top and red headband, makes a glass orange bowl in his Verrerie du Marais workshop.
1 minute 29 seconds

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.

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SÉBASTIEN DENIZARD: GLASS ETCHING

Glassmaker Sébastien Denizard holds a blown glass bowl against an etching machine, creating stunning, intricate patterns.
1 minute 28 seconds

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.

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RUBELLI: FABRICS

In a workshop with a large loom, Nicolò Favaretto of Rubelli examines silks created for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
1 minute 20 seconds

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.

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PHILIPPE ALLEMAND: MARQUETRY

In his workshop, expert marquetry craftsman, Philippe Allemand stands, arms folded, by a finished panel for La Forêt Suite.
1 minute 30 seconds

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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