Celia: cinematic design aboard the British Pullman

A fictional character can become a useful brief for an interior. Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s Celia carriage concept for the British Pullman began with a narrative of theatre, travel and an extravagant gift.

The March 2026 presentation connected Shakespearean references with Jazz Age imagery inside a historic Pullman carriage. Marquetry drew on plants and animals, while dining, a bar and spaces for gathering gave the story practical functions.

Lighting and concealed elements extended the relationship with stage design. The environment was conceived to change with the occasion rather than provide a single fixed view.

The project demonstrates where cinema and hospitality can meet without becoming identical. A film controls the sequence in which its setting is seen; a carriage must leave room for passengers to create another sequence through conversation, movement and a meal.