The train stops in the stillness of time. Passengers in this single car of the Orient Express luxuriate forever in a reverie of richness. The burnished wood of the dining car, the deep upholstery of the seats, the soft, shaded lighting make the figures stand out in relief, their clothing a testament to social identity and design legacy. In this ravishing tableau, the train is merely the transportation, the setting. It is the clothing that offers a round-trip, first-class ticket for a giddy voyage into the past.
The standard of style in this dining car is punishingly high. Just inside the...