Simone Ashley's Velvet Dress Is Y2K But It Looks Timeless

Train travel is timeless. So was Simone Ashley’s velvet stunner of a dress. The Devil Wears Prada 2 star was one of several celebrity guests aboard the Belmond British Pullman luxury train on May 9, to celebrate the new private dining car, Celia. To fit the glamorous vintage aesthetic, Ashley opted for a textured gold velvet dress with an asymmetrical neckline from Donna Karan’s fall 2001 collection.

She paired the dress with dramatic gold chandelier earrings that just brushed her shoulders. Over top, Ashley wore a shaggy boho coat in a charcoal and white pattern with a fluffy collar and cuffs. She left her hair down in beachy waves and wore smokey eyeliner with a nude lip.

Supermodel Stella Tennant originally debute the dress (sans coat) on Karan’s New York Fashion Week runway.

As for the matter of this luxury dinning car, Celia was imagined by Baz Luhrmann and his wife and creative partner Catherine Martin. The British Pullman is composed of restored 1920s and 1930s carriages, maintaining classic Art Deco interiors. It runs seasonally, taking guests on excursions to Oxford, Canterbury, and Bath. This is not the train’s first collaboration with a filmmaker. The British Pullman also features the Cygnus carriage, which was designed by Wes Anderson.

Guests for the special night boarded at London Victoria station for a champagne reception. They then enjoyed a three-course menu, music, and cocktails, followed by an after-party at Mark’s Club.

The big event was co-hosted by Anna Wintour, and also attended by Roger Federer, Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, Alexa Chung, Emma Corrin, Mirka Federer, Anna Shaffer, Harry Lambert, Jonathan Yeo, Francesca Hayward, Valene Kane, Julia Hobbs, Tish Weinstock, and Cesar Corrales.

Ashley has been lending her sparkle to red carpet events the past few months, as The Devil Wears Prada 2 has rolled out across Europe and the U.S. But her look at the Met Gala on May 4 was especially jaw dropping. The star wore a draped chain gown from Stella McCartney.

She accessorized with diamond earrings and bracelets from De Beers and a pair of silver Stuart Weitzman heels. In an interview with Vogue UK earlier this year, she shared, “The older I get, the more confident I feel. I’m loving a ’90s vibe at the moment—it makes me feel so chic.”