Just in: England's Most Lavish Train, the British Pullman by Belmond, Is Getting a New "Cinematic" Carriage — Can You Guess Which BAFTA-Winning Filmmaker Designed It?

Belmond isn't exactly new to stellar collaborations. In the past, symmetry maestro, director Wes Anderson, reimagined the 1950s Cygnus carriage of the British Pullman, the group's ultimate Golden Age of Travel-inspired train in the UK, layering pastel colors and swan motifs in a space that defies time.

Later, French photographer and street artist JR, known for its socially engaged, black-and-white portraits showcased as colossal installations in squares across the world, decked out L'Observatoire sleeper carriage of the portfolio's Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with bespoke marquetry, a tea room, and an oculus for stargazing ahead of its 2025 launch, marking the first time a creative from that field lent his genius to the legacy of the iconic, moving hotel. Today, with the announcement of the British Pullman's most cinematic carriage yet, Celia, a new chapter in the history of luxury train rides and Belmond's own heritage begins — and it has Hollywood written all over it.

Set to debut in early summer 2026, Celia is the fruit of an artistic collaboration between irreverent, visionary BAFTA-winning filmmaker Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby, and Romeo + Juliet fame, and costume and production designer Catherine Martin, who won three different Oscars for her work on the first and the third of these maximalist cult classics.

Aboard 'Celia', the New Carriage of Belmond's British Pullman

Looking at the dreamy illustrations of the carriage released by Belmond this morning, which are the work of Paris-based Japanese artist Yukiko Noritake, the creative synergy of the two is apparent — furnishing textiles are masterfully draped and styled in the sketched-up imagining of its lavish interiors already; the passengers' black tie attire oozes with old-style grandeur.

The spaces themselves, rich in the ornate Art Deco motifs we've learned to love in Luhrmann's mind-bending The Great Gatsby and its alternate universe, couldn't be more transportative. Blooming flowers turn into sconces, fairies fly undisturbed in glittery mist, and ceilings give way to forest skies as mysterious as hypnotic. It only makes sense, then, given how their respective craft complement each other, to find out that Martin and Luhrmann are long-term partners. And not just in work, but in life, too.

Housed inside an original 1932 Pullman carriage, Celia — named after a muse the director dreamed up himself and her imaginary life — will comprise a cocktail bar, lounge, dining, and entertainment area, and is designed to let 12 guests embark on a journey of a lifetime.

Its theatrical decor is a direct nod to London's 1930s West End, vintage cinema, and the riveting (mis)adventures portrayed in William Shakespeare's most whimsical play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Three inspirations the duo has translated into their design by leaning heavily into the manifold textures and heritage of British craftsmanship.

The Making of a Myth, Suspended Between the 20th Century and 2026

In Luhrmann's mind, Celia, the fictional character, is a leading 1930s West End actress whose standout performances have seen a whole carriage gifted to her in her honor. More specifically, it's her performance as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in A Midsummer Night's Dream that earns her that special space on the train, which, decorated with leafy motifs, theater-like red curtains, and suspense-filled passages, blurs the lines between fantasy and reality.

An embodiment of "playfulness and after-hours mischief", Celia, this time, the carriage, is a "world of make-believe," its creators explain, and not simply in the storytelling sense of things.

If it's true that, like we wrote while reporting on the biggest 2026 travel trends, the future of travel ditches one-size-fits-all tourism in favor of a hyper-personalized, exclusive approach to being on the move, the new British Pullman carriage by luxury giant Belmond raises the bar for curated cultural and gastronomic experiences conceived to be lived on the tracks.

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Celia, which will depart from London's Victoria Station across all British Pullman journeys, is projected to operate as a standalone, private carriage within the train, Belmond explains. This includes dedicated stewards, as well as one-off fine dining offerings to be indulged in across its dining carriage, lounge and bar, pantry, and kitchen. But the privileges of boarding this Hollywood-worthy section of the train don't end here.

Besides the opportunity of booking a private chef to cook up customized menus with the freshest, most local seasonal produce, guests will get to have a say in the creation of unique itineraries revolving not just around their time on the British Pullman, but on land, too.

So, whether you're after a live music performance or a themed costume party à la Elvis, Strictly Ballroom, The Great Gatsby, or Moulin Rouge, or more interested in exploring England off the beaten path with bespoke activities and rare tours, the Luhrmann-Martin-designed Celia is your chance to make this and more come true.

Fairies, Mysteries, and Night Mischief — Onboard 'Celia', Luxury and "Neo Folklore" Meet

A launch like that of the British Pullman's Celia is memorable in itself, but for us, the design-obsessed team of Livingetc, striking visuals alone are never enough. Along with the pervading narrative that, quite literally, drives its spirit forward, the Luhrmann-Martin-co-authored carriage caught my eye for how it perfectly sums up the essence of what the most recent edition of Paris's leading design fair Maison&Objet identified as one of this year's biggest interior design trends: Neo Folklore.

A celebration of "character, craft, and storytelling, rooted in local tales and reimagined know-how, this trend invites you to mix tradition with a playful twist," the trend-forecasting platform said, adding it manifests through "bold colors, expressive patterns, and authentic textures", at its very best when blended. Developed in collaboration with Britain's very best artisans and designers, Celia weaves craftsmanship into "a world of historied theater and cinema".

Flora and fauna take center stage in the train, informing the intricate patterns of the A Dunn & Son marquetry. Bespoke furniture, glasswork, and embroidered details by Bill Cleyndert, Tony Sandles, Hand and Lock, and J.K Interiors, respectively, unleash an air of researchedness and exclusivity, reinterpreting long-lived techniques via contemporary wit and reverie. While mosaics and hand-painted walls and ceilings let nature run wild, feeding into the carriage's mysticism.

The fine bone China comes courtesy of historic British manufacturer Duchess China, again, interspersed with present-day accents by David Mellor, who provided the cutlery, and Tom Dixon, tapped for the glassware. This and more for what Luhrmann describes as "a once-in-a-lifetime experience" that allowed him and Martin "to push the boundaries of creativity, luxury, and uniqueness."

"Stepping inside the carriage is like being transported into another world, one in which guests are invited to become part of the story," he says. "Celia, at its heart, is a magical mystery tour — a traveling dining experience for friends or an intimate celebration, filled with food, music, wine, laughter, and performance."

For Martin, the same applies. "Onboard, I imagine people eating, dancing, and falling in love, taking photographs, celebrating life's great moments and adventures — all within a world that offers a pause from the chaos of everyday life," she shares of her hopes for the carriage's own life. "Celia offers a moment of respite. A moment of celebration. A small, luminous bubble of love and light."

Learn more about the British Pullman, a Belmond train, England and its new Celia carriage.