Atelier Février’s Bespoke Rugs Aboard the New Orient Express

Atelier Février’s bespoke rugs form part of Maxime d’Angeac’s visionary Orient Express installation at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, celebrating a century of Art Deco through craftsmanship, materiality and the art of slow travel

Bespoke rugs by Atelier Février, reflecting the rhythm of slow travel, graced the carriages of a transportive Orient Express installation by Maxime d’Angeac.
It featured in ‘1925-2025: One Hundred Years of Art Deco’ at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, held on the centenary of the International Exhibition.

A New Era of Travel

As luxury is redefined as lived experience rather than accumulation, the renewed Orient Express returns to the spirit of Art Deco and the 1920s.

Under the direction of Maxime d’Angeac, the project reflects a vision of refinement grounded in the meeting of technical mastery and human, creative touch.

Crafted from the finest materials, each element is designed not only to impress, but to evoke the sense of stepping into a carefully composed scene rather than a service.

For Atelier Février, this collaboration meant designing rugs not as décor, but as part of the hospitality, softening each step, framing each cabin, and anchoring the rhythm of slow travel.

Reviving the Art Deco Spirit

A century after the 1925 International Exhibition that propelled Art Deco onto the global stage, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris revisits the movement’s enduring influence through an immersive exhibition exploring its evolution across architecture, interiors and decorative arts.

The exhibition culminates with a tribute to the Orient Express, bringing together historic cabins and future train models by Maxime d’Angeac. Four bespoke Atelier Février rugs form part of this installation, introducing a tactile dimension to the interiors and reflecting the same attention to detail, innovation and artistry that defined the original Art Deco era.

Following it’s presentation Paris, which ran until 26 April 2026, the installation offers a glimpse into the future of the renewed Orient Express, where heritage and contemporary craftsmanship meet.

As the first journeys open for reservation, Atelier Février’s rugs move beyond the gallery setting to become part of the train’s interiors, considered alongside every material, texture and detail that shapes the passenger experience.

The collaboration highlights the enduring relationship between craft and design, showing how carefully considered elements can define the character of a space.

You can also read this article in COVER 83 – available digitally now on Exact Editions.

Words by Rachel Meek and Libbi Kettle

Photo creds: Maxime d’Angeac