Nearly 140 years ago the Orient Express took its first trip along its iconic route from Paris to Istanbul and all the way to Constantinople. The ultra-luxurious train revolutionized the culture of luxury travel and redefined what train travel could look like, making it a great success early on. The locomotive went on to operate for subsequent decades, until the last train departed in 2009.
Now, hospitality company Accor, which took a 50 percent stake in the Orient Express brand in 2017, has announced that the iconic train is undergoing a massive makeover to render it available for service again by 2025. The original luxury convoy will be restored and reimagined by celebrated architect Maxime d’Angeac and a first batch of images of the restored carriages have now been unveiled to the public. D’Angeac is known for his previous restoration projects across Europe, including castles, private villas and even the Maison Guerlain on the Champs-Elysees.
The Frenchman has taken the original luxurious aesthetic of the Orient Express and fused it together with all the hallmarks of contemporary luxury. He also played with lines and contours to create a room that emphasizes the passing of nature outside the large windows and to further add flair he also used circular shapes to counter the strict designs of the train. Every aspect of the interior is designed with the utmost attention to detail and the corridors and vestibules have received as much design thought as the main areas like the bar car, the dining car, and the suites.
The carriages of the brand new Orient Express train will be on display at this year’s Design Miami, which takes place from November 30 to December 4.
Picture references: https://group.accor.com/en/brands/Luxury/orient-express
