wes anderson is known for making films with exquisite aesthetics, representing slightly dreamlike worlds that are real, while being a little more beautiful and satisfying than those in which we live. To achieve this, he makes use of soft carefully calibrated color palettes and somewhat aesthetic taste vintage , which transits between the most pop pastels, the intricate forms of art nouveau and the symmetries of art decó. In this way, he achieves that his feature films are engraved on our retinas like few others, because they are not just exciting stories: they are artworks.
Now, the director of mythical traveling films such as Grand Hotel Budapest or Trip to Darjeeling has completed a somewhat different project that, at the same time, fits in perfectly with his creative affiliations: he has designed one of the cars of the luxurious British Pullman, to Belmond Train.
“I have often had the opportunity to invent train and wagon compartments in my movies , so I really wanted to do something new and, at the same time, participate in the preservation process that accompanies all projects of belmond classic trains . They keep something special alive. An endangered species of travel that, however, is very well adapted to our times, ”explains Anderson.
See photos: Romantic trains: the goal is the way
In fact, the British Pullman is a luxurious train that preserves the splendor of 1920 , the year in which most of its wagons were built, thanks to the restoration of its antique-style marquetry, its period lamps and its classic upholstery . You can still feel the glamor of its generations of distinguished passengers, including royalty and the most charismatic historical figures of the 20th century.
British Pullman Cygnus wagon designed by Wes Anderson.
Now, Cygnus ("swan"), the car operated by Anderson, has become a separate universe but, at the same time, completely integrated into the iconography of this train. He himself has pastel pink accents on the ceiling, green hues on the rugs and seating, and wood paneling with sunbeams, clouds, stars, and waves . Everything is made by hand with ancient craft techniques.
“In the form of the seats and the mirrors appear bold and sharp lines, that adhere to the angular balance the director is famous for. The most astute will also detect the many swan details , which refer to the name and history of the carriage”, they explain from Belmond.
Sky and swans on the Wes Anderson designed wagon
A GLAMOROUS JOURNEY TO THE ROARRING 20S
The Anderson-designed wagon features an exclusive restaurant service with two reserved rooms for up to four people . The acquisition of these VIP tables includes champagne open bar , exclusive menus, a selection of high-end wines, unique crockery and glassware, selected by Wes Anderson himself , a gift box and hand-tied bouquet, and private boarding.
You can choose to ride Cygnus at any of the many itineraries that the British Pullman undertakes throughout England . The experiences offered on board range from delicious dinners served by renowned chefs to murder mystery lunches through the Kentish countryside, in which we must behave like Hercule Poirot to discover who has perpetrated a crime on the tracks.
After all, the Cygnus appears in Agathe, Oscar-nominated film for 'best costume' in 1979 and set in 1926. It tells the story of how the famous writer of detective novels Agatha Christie disappears for eleven days , with Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave as protagonists.
This swing between the real and the cinematographic also occurs in Anderson's own works, who not many years ago designed another delightful project that can be visited: the Luce bar, in the Milanese Fondazione Prada.
You may also like:
- A Planet Called Wes Anderson
- This Instagram account reveals the most Wes Anderson places in the world