Sneak peek into Vivienne Tam's personal suite

Sneak peek into Vivienne Tam's personal suite
The new collaboration between Hotel ICON and the fashion designer gathers items from the designer's own apartment
By Hiufu Wong

Designer Suite by Vivienne Tam, where fashionistas imagine they are at a sleepover party at the designer's place.

If you ever wanted to know what it's like to live like a celebrity designer, Hong Kong's Hotel ICON can now provide that experience.

At least in a little way.

The hotel has transplanted items from Vivienne Tam's home in New York City into its new Designer Suite.

The new suite, launched last month, is a collaboration between Tam, an alumnus of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Hotel ICON, owned by PolyU as a teaching and research hotel.

One of the missions of the Hong Kong hotel is to showcase homegrown talent -- Rocco Yim takes part in creating the building, William Lim is the interior designer of the hotel, Barney Cheng is the uniform designer, for example -- according to Richard Hatter, general manager of Hotel ICON.

Feng shui principles were employed in the room's design."The hotel's mission resonated with me and I wanted also to be part of this band of designers and artists celebrated and profiled by the hotel," said the New York-based designer. "So when Hotel ICON asked, I said 'yes' immediately."

The 80-square-meter suite sits on the 27th floor of the hotel, with a panoramic view of the Victoria Harbor.

Vivienne Tam's 'home-away-from-home'

Walking into Vivienne Tam's suite you'll see white relief artwork and a porcelain plaque, all brought over from the designer's New York apartment where she gets her inspiration, as well as a collection of books -- a mix of fashion and art tomes including biennial fashion magazine Self Service, a book on art deco and a Chinese erotic art book "Concubines and Courtesans."

The design is a play of different rich and warm wooden textures -- from ceiling to furniture to walls. Occasionally Tam's favorite color, red, gets a nod.

Of course, her signature China chic style is evident in abundance. Wooden high ceilings are inspired by traditional Chinese screens and a red-carpeted bedroom is a reminder of Shanghai's art deco era.

Now that you've got a room with a view like that, the television is redundant.

"Like one's home, this space is meant to change and grow. I wanted it to be uncluttered, a free space to dream," said Tam.

But you may be disappointed to find not a single pair of Vivienne Tam's slippers or item of loungewear in the room.

The representatives from Hotel ICON said that the hotel has received a lot of enquiries for the suite since they launched it on June 26, especially local interest.

A solid Japanese-cherry wood desk may make you linger over your work longer than usual.More details and facilities of the suite can be found on Hotel ICON's website, but online booking is not yet available.

Rack rate is at HK$ 20,000 per night (plus 10 percent service charge), which is about four times the price of Club Suite 80, another suite in Hotel ICON of the same size.

More on CNNGo: Hotel ICON: Where students get to play GM

17, Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong, +852 3400 1000, www.hotel-icon.com

Hiufu Wong is CNNGo's staff writer.

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