China Rouge with art-laced ambience

The bar depicts Romance of the Three Kingdoms in Chinese art deco stained glass. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Far from the maddening crowd that is the Cotai Strip, there is a place where Asia's social elite are known by name and catered to with deference.

It is the most talked about nightclub to open in Macao this year, and has already seen the likes of celebrity performers including Laura Fygi, Hacken Lee and Kenny G.

Its concept originated with Galaxy Entertainment Group's vice-chairman Francis Lui, who considers it his pet project in the Galaxy Macao complex.

"What could we do for Macao, to give people a choice?" he recalls thinking. "That is why we have China Rouge. It is smaller, more intimate, more interactive. We felt that it was something we could offer customers so they don't have to sit in an arena with 10,000 others as one of many.

"China Rouge is about Shanghai 1930s style: glamorous and glittering," Lui says. "I was hands-on and made sure of every little detail, whether it was the furniture, the carpet or the show. I paid a lot of attention to China Rouge and I'm passionate about it because it is something new - never before done in Macao. It is original, intimate and Asian.

"Our theme is 'world class, Asian heart' and we want to show that in fact entertainment can be done in an Asian way that is also exciting."

To help him execute his vision, Lui entrusted the talents of Hong Kong graphics and interior designer Alan Chan.

Taking a year to complete the project, Chan found inspiration from the heydays of not only Shanghai but also Paris.

He commissioned original art from top contemporary artists working in China today and carefully oversaw their progress. Buhua, Chen Man, Deng Xinli, Ling Jian and Zheng Lu all created their own versions of work based on their interpretation of woman to transform the club into a mini art gallery.

"The art deco style of 1930s Shanghai is the main theme," says Chan. "The artistic style of that era is vivid, making strong visual statements with beautiful details and colors. That period in China had a profound impact on designs that followed across Asia."

China Rouge includes a bar and lounge featuring signature cocktails with intriguing names such as Lust and Occult alongside excellent champagnes and spirits served with an assortment of dim sum and Asian delicacies.

Delving further, guests come across a showroom with a stage ideal for intimate concerts and personalized shows. At the very back is a long bar depicting Romance of the Three Kingdoms in Chinese art deco stained glass. Above is a mezzanine divided into a series of private lounges for guests who wish to see but not be seen.

Noel Furrer, China Rouge's executive manager, presides over a recent nightly party to ensure that guests are well attended to.

With his background working for the likes of Allan Zeman, Kee Club and FINDS, he trained originally as a chef in some of Europe's best hotels.

"We offer a place where guests are understood," Furrer says, in between preparing for China Rouge's Halloween extravaganza. "Our menu offers a number of East-meets-West dishes. The art was selected for guests to relate to the images, since it relates to their past. We try not to be fusion - I think that fusion is sometimes confusion. What we are doing is selling an emotion."

sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn