Elvis' Velvet Vistaliner

Adding to this opulence is the diverse range of fabrics used in the film sets which include over 40 Zepel designs, ranging from flowing sheers to rich and weighty velvets. Warner Bros. Studio closely collaborated with our Commercial team to select designs that would complement the style and glamour of Elvis' lifestyle and enhance the storyline. Production Designer Karen Murphy and Set/Costume Designer Catherine Martin were instrumental in embellishing the stars personal interior spaces, including vehicles, through textiles.  

A Zepel classic, Warlock, took centre stage in the tour bus scene, a much-loved space of refuge for the rock ‘n’ roll legend. When Elvis returned from Germany after his military sabbatical in 1960, he purchased a Flxible VL-100 Vistaliner Intercity Coach to support his career as an actor in Hollywood. He preferred to travel by road between his ‘Graceland’ home in Memphis and Los Angeles where film productions were based.  To preserve his privacy, he kept the exterior of bus modest and unassuming. However, the interior of the bus was where he could express this creativity and lavish lifestyle, and commissioned Kustom City in North Hollywood to create custom ceiling panels, fabrics, lighting, and modern comforts.

Warlock is a closely aligned velvet design to the original look and colour scheme of the tour bus. The flood of predominantly red and fuchsia was achieved with colourway ‘Lollipop’ upholstered on the inbuilt seating, and enhances the honey-toned wood veneer, black gloss panels, and gold fixtures. The deluxe handle and warmth of the velvet perfectly complements Elvis’s home away, where he could still enjoy all modern luxurious while feeling comforted from the demands of the outside world.