Ku De Ta nightclub renamed Ce La Vi , new outlet in HK planned

SINGAPORE'S most prominent nightspot on the 57th floor of the Marina Bay Sands hotel complex, Ku De Ta, will have its name changed to Ce La Vi from today.

The nightclub was given two weeks from a Court of Appeal ruling issued on May 25 to stop using the Ku De Ta name, after a five-year legal battle launched in 2010 by the partners of the Bali beachfront club that started using the Ku De Ta name in 2000.

L Capital, the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy-backed Asian private equity firm behind the Singapore nightclub, unveiled the new brand name today, along with the announcement of a forthcoming outlet to be opened next month on the top three floors of Hong Kong's recently refurbished California Tower in the city's Lan Kwai Fong dining and entertainment district.

A further Ku De Ta outlet on the rooftop of Sathorn Square in Bangkok that opened in January 2014 has also been renamed Ce La Vi.

Abbreviated from the French phrase, "c'est la vie", or "this is life", Ce La Vi aims to become "the international titan of lifestyle and sophisticated hedonism", L Capital said.

The outlet in the Marina Bay Sands Skypark in Singapore will undergo a significant renovation in the coming months, and a bold five-year expansion plan has been charted to take the Ce La Vi brand to other key urban cities across the world. Talks for outlets in Dubai and Taipei are already in the works.

"We will only select locations that are the most coveted spot in the city, nothing less than a commanding presence with breathtaking panoramic views in the world's lifestyle capitals," said L Capital Asia managing partner Ravi Thakran.

Besides iconic rooftop locations in each city, the brand DNA for Ce La Vi will revolve around four other core pillars, Mr Thakran added: Asian-inspired architectural design; innovative modern Asian cuisine and cocktail mixology; and an entertainment line-up comprising local and international DJs.