Inside Louis Vuitton’s pop-up residence ’L’Appartement Hong Kong’, designed by André Fu

Hong Kong-based interior designer André Fu has created an intriguing 'secret' pop-up residence in his hometown for fashion powerhouse Louis Vuitton. 

The brief: to transform part of a private member's club on Wellington Street into an ultra-exclusive, blink-and-you'll-miss-it 3,500 sq ft apartment. Fu has incorporated a study, boudoir and separate living and dining areas - complete with a Michelin-starred chef on hand.

The invitation-only space will operate as a luxurious 'urban oasis' over a six-week period for the brand's most valued local customers. L'Appartement is the designer's first collaboration with a brand.

'I was intrigued by the intellectual exercise of creating something that offers an emotional experience despite it being a temporary construct,' says Fu, whose recent projects include The Opus super suite at the Berkeley hotel and the Gong bar at the new Shangri-La at the Shard, both in London. 

The designer accomplished what he set out to achieve, delivering a modern, glamorous home-from-home with plush custom-made furnishings and rugs. They're accented with contemporary Chinese art and vintage prints and objets from the Louis Vuitton archives.

'I'm much more interested in creating a holistic experience than focusing on objects,' says Fu, 'so for me it was more about creating a sense of purity and place.'

Fu's intimate Japanese tearoom-inspired lobby sets the tone with a striking jade-green Turkish onyx counter offset by the mesmerising painting '1197', by emerging Chinese artist Shang Yixin.

The rich palette of tangerine orange, olive green and mineral blue is repeated throughout, nodding to Nicolas Ghesquière's first womenswear collection for the brand. Elsewhere, Fu's trademark attention to detail is reflected in walls clad with Jim Thompson silks, reversed to reveal a softer pattern. Eclectic touches include natural chair upholsteries made from soft cork laminated with a canvas backing.

Although the curated collection of limited-edition Louis Vuitton merch has proved an effective lure, L'Appartement's sleek dining room is undoubtedly the showstopper. Its solid-oak table seats 14, and Fu's tongue-in-cheek bespoke ceiling lights pay tribute to the brand by casting a subtle LV glow when lit.