In London this week, top execs from Cunard gathered design collaborators for Queen Anne to offer a glimpse of the newest ship set to debut in 2024. Combining the heritage of the iconic brand, which has been around since 1840, and some of the 4,300 pieces of exciting new modern art, the event offered an immersive experience into what is in store for passengers on the Queen Anne. Our verdict: Wow!
Horizon” (Photo by Emily Goldfischer)
On hand were the lead design team from David Collins Studio and art curators from Double Decker, most impressively quite a few of the young artists were on hand to explain the brief and how they created pieces for the ship. It is wonderful to see Cunard support and champion talented young artists, we met Callum Simmons, a recent grad from London’s Central Saint Martins, whose kinetic piece “Shifting Horizon” caught our eye. He explained the piece was designed to “evoke the variations of light that can be seen looking out from the ship sunrise to sunset.” Other highlights included Artists Pei Chi Lee, John Biggs and Tommy Camerno at the event, who showcased their exclusive masterpieces for Queen Anne, including the reveal of Camerno’s portrait of Queen Anne, which will be displayed in the Queen’s room.
Head Curator Virgilio De Castro of Double Decker offered a broader explanation of the overall brief for the massive undertaking. It included: “4,300 pieces of artworks and sculptures, 3000 artists and designers, and 500 different framing methods. Everything is very contemporary for a younger audience, creating an atmosphere for a fresh spin on cruising,” he said.
In terms of the interiors, designers from David Collins Studio, Richmond International and Sybille de Margerie, who worked with Creative Director Adam D. Tihany, were all in attendance to reveal the design inspiration behind Queen Anne. Having been immersed in the Cunard archives, the talents—whose portfolios include luxury hotels, bars, restaurants, high-end yachts and private grand residences—have ensured that Queen Anne exudes classic Cunard style while showcasing many new considered touches. Queen Anne’s breathtaking interiors take inspiration from Cunard’s past, celebrating the beautiful Art Deco-style finishes that the brand is known for, to define a striking new design direction for the future.
Lewis Taylor, design director at David Collins Studio, chatted with us about the 19 different spaces they created from suites to cocktail lounges. What to expect? “A touch of Deco with forward-looking feel,” said Taylor, “The Queen Anne is going to be different than other ships; this is a ship for the next generation. Design is embedded in the DNA of Cunard and we’ve gone back to the archives in Liverpool to draw inspiration—many historical details have been incorporated into everything from the carpets to the woodwork, but with a modern interpretation.”
Queen Anne will set sail in 2024. Its inaugural season will go on sale for Cunard World Club members on December 6, 2022 and on general sale on December 7.
On the Hotel Front
& USA; Managing Director, The Langham
London (Photo by Emily Goldfischer)
In addition, Langham Hotel & Resorts held an intimate breakfast ahead of ILTM at the Langham London. Hosted by Bob van den Oord, regional vice president operations, Europe, Middle East & USA and managing director, The Langham London, and Shelly Tso, global vice president - marketing & communications at Langham Hospitality Group, the general sentiment was very upbeat.
The brand was busy during the pandemic: The Langham Boston opened after a $180 million refurb, (you may remember Luxury Travel Advisor was the first to cover it!); the 223-room Langham Jakarta opened; and the 169-room Langham, Gold Coast in Australia, which van den Oord reports has captured the hearts of the local surfing community, has debuted. New hotels coming up? Langham has signed a deal for a hotel in Seattle to open in 2026, and in Europe, they are working on a total refurb of a listed building on the island of Murano in Venice, which will have a courtyard and pool.
Van den Oord said he was just back from Saudi Arabia, where he was impressed with the buzzing atmosphere and all the change happening. Langham will develop a property at Diriyah Gate, Saudi Arabia’s $50 billion giga-project just outside Riyadh. He teased that the company is working on another property in Asia that he can’t share yet, so stay tuned.
Most exciting for visitors to London: Large terraces have been added to some of the hotel’s signature suites. They were occupied, so, unfortunately, we couldn’t get a peek, but views of Regent Street will surely beckon us back. Other London news: The hotel was the location for a forthcoming Netflix series, and Artesian bar has partnered with Chef Angelo Sato of the trendy Japanese restaurant, Humble Chicken in Soho. Highlights of the new menu include melt-in-the-mouth Peking duck bao sliders, creamy avocado tartare, and crispy buttermilk chicken with a dollop of spiced miso mayo. Yum!
Sustainability is also a signature of the London property, which partners with EarthCheck to monitor the environmental and sustainability performance every year. 2022 marked the third year the hotel achieved Platinum certification (it was the first U.K. hotel and the first five-star Hotel in Europe to achieve Platinum in 2020).
Keep checking online; we will be reporting daily next week from ILTM in Cannes.
Related Articles
Cunard’s New Ship, Queen Anne, Is Delayed
The Langham to Open in Gold Coast, Australia