Nightlife and fashion really do go hand in hand. A night out wouldn't be complete without combing through your closet for the best of the best outfits – short dresses, sky high heels, cleavage-baring tops – or glaring down at club patrons who fail to meet your sartorial standards.
Christian Audigier knows fashion is important. The Frenchman and designer, after all, earned his fame for putting Ed Hardy and Von Dutch on the map (and is probably best known for bedazzling men's backs and chests with glittery tigers, skulls and flowers, for better or worse). No doubt, many a dress or shirt with his label can often be spotted in a club during a night out on the Strip. But Audigier is now the first fashion designer to create a club where the dress code really does matter – if you want to go to Christian Audigier's The Nightclub, the newest edition to the Strip in Treasure Island, you better be dressed to impress. Seriously – no sports jerseys, no tank tops on men and no tennis shoes. And, of course, the waitstaff is outfitted in Audigier's designs – dresses, shorts and bustiers for the ladies and crystal-adorned jackets and T-shirts for the guys.
July 4th weekend was Christian Audigier The Nightclub's grand opening, and grand it was. Several celebrities came out to party with Audigier, including celebrity DJ guest Nick Cannon, actress Jaime Pressly, actress Bai Ling, heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, comedic actor Damon Wayans and Indiana Pacers center Jermaine O'Neal. The red carpet extravaganza streamed inside the club, where the décor and festivities did not disappoint.
DÉCOR
Those familiar with Audigier's designs know he loves skulls, roses and gleaming crystals by themselves and combined. He adores these symbols so much that they're incorporated everywhere inside the club. Walk in the grand entrance and you'll notice the 10,000-square-foot space is primarily made up of black, mirrored walls and red velvet with his signature touches.
The VIP areas are right by the door – the perfect place to see and be seen. To the right, find red velvet tufted walls, a huge decorative chandelier, black crocodile embossed leather banquettes and several small tables and booths to kick back, relax and people-watch. The VIP section to the left has a bit more to view and a bit more going on--besides mirrored black walls and gold-framed mirrors with roses so extra-special customers can fluff their hair and adjust their outfits without having to walk all the way to the bathrooms, there are also two stripper poles stationed above the dance floor in the VIP area.
"We want the party atmosphere for VIPs to be intimate," Manager Jason Cooper said. "They can stand up and dance on the flat areas above their table in front of the mirrors, they can dance on the poles, but the small area keeps the atmosphere intimate."
The energy from the dance floor is intensified with theatrical lighting bouncing off the mirrored black and crystal-adorned walls. But the lights are used in an interesting way with what Cooper says is a highlight of the club – the jellyfish tank. Filled with live Moon Jellyfish, two massive tanks stand in the wall in front of the dance floor illuminating the space with LED lights from the top of the tanks to the bottom. Inside the tanks, the jellyfish float about while red, blue, and green lights illuminate the jellyfish, the floor, and everything around them.
THE BAR
When you're thirsty, you can saunter through the crowd over to the bar, look down at the bartender and order a drink. That's right, look down. The Nightclub has a sunken bar.
"We wanted to create a layer of depth in the club," Cooper said. "We have elevated VIP sections and then a sunken bar for different layers and a larger feel inside."
While up at the bar, take a gander at all of the Ed Hardy/Christian Audigier alcohol for sale by the bottle: Ed Hardy vodka, champagne and wine in their decorative bottles stand out above those normal, everyday rums and vodkas encased in the wall behind the bar.
THE PATIO
The patio overlooks the water and pirate ship at Treasure Island. How peaceful – the waves softly hitting the walls, the black wicker tables, the white cushioned chairs, the pirates yelling… wait a minute…
Actually, there's no need to worry about that pirate play disrupting the feel of the club. "The only show to conflict with the club's hours is the 11:30 show," Cooper said. "During that, the DJ (out on the patio) stops playing, people sitting in the VIP section outside can watch the show, and when it's over, the DJ starts playing music again." Don't worry, if it's your 16th time seeing the pirate show and you can't stand seeing it again, the party inside the club will still be going on – the DJ inside will keep playing Top 40, hip hop and house music despite the fighting pirates just outside.
Also, here's a VIP secret: when you dine at Social House and you want to hit up Christian Audigier's The Nightclub after but don't want to wait in line, you can simply walk down a spiral staircase that leads straight from the sushi hot spot to the club's patio.
FASHION
You knew there had to be a Christian Audigier boutique somewhere nearby – while it's not inside the club, it's located next to the club. So, if you think the waitresses' outfits are super cute or are jonesin' for a masculinely crystal-studded men's T-shirt, check it out on your way in or out of the club.
Click here for more info on Christian Audigier The Nightclub.
