Madame Rouge and the power of being unapologetically yourself

Time Out

01-05-2025

Labelled a teen for being 'too much,' Madame Rouge now runs Bangkok's most fabulous entertainment empire – where every show is sparkly, surreal and just a little unhinged. Just the way she likes it.
In the middle of Bangkok's Chinatown, inside Chop Chop Cook Shop, a five-storey shophouse that now serves as a nostalgic tribute to old-world cookshops and neon-lit alleyways, something magical came to life. Our latest digital cover shoot with Madame Rouge, Bangkok's burlesque powerhouse, captures contradictions, cinematic tension and the spirit of a woman who refuses to live a double life.
She steps into frame wearing sequins, satin and all the sass in the world. But make no mistake – what you see isn't a persona she puts on. It's who she is.
'I've been this person my whole life,' she says. 'Even as a kid I was confident, dramatic, opinionated (when I was a toddler, my parent's friends gave me the nickname Auntie Jade). That kind of boldness wasn't always welcomed.
I was relentlessly bullied during my awkward teenage years. Acne, weird fashion choices, big energy. But I didn't know how to be anyone else.
Born in Hong Kong, raised across continents from Canada and the U.S. to Beijing and now based in Bangkok, Madame Rouge – also known off-stage as Jade – channels her life's winding journey into her art. Her brand is burlesque, but her power lies in how she stitches together East and West, nostalgia and absurdity, grit and glam.
'Growing up as a third culture kid taught me adaptability in the most intense way,' she reflects.
I became someone who could walk into any room, read it and figure out how to thrive… usually in heels.
Thailand is a fascinating place because it holds so many beautiful contradictions,
she adds.
It's traditional yet open-minded, conservative in some ways and wild AF in others.
Bangkok itself pulses with this duality. It's a city of contrasts where the ancient meets the modern. The traditional street vendors dish out local delicacies next to upscale rooftop bars. The hum of traffic, the scent of incense, and the glow of neon lights coexist. The clash of old and new is celebrated here. And it's this mix of the conservative and liberal that defines Thailand's current cultural moment.
'What's even more exciting is that this country is going through a special moment. The new generation of creatives, venue owners and tastemakers are craving something bold. That's where we come in. People are more curious, more open to being surprised. They want experiences that feel different.'
And I'll keep doing what I do, not to change the culture, but maybe add a little more Rouge to it.
Madame Rouge sees herself as part of this cultural shift, adding her own flavour to the creative revolution. Those heels now carry her through Bangkok's most extravagant performances, but her roots and references run deep. The Chinatown photoshoot with its gold necklaces, red paper lanterns and faded tiles wasn't solely for aesthetics, it was personal.
'This location screamed Hong Kong nostalgia which I am a sucker for. It let me remix my heritage with everything else I've become.'
That remix is what makes Madame Rouge a phenomenon. Since founding her namesake company in 2019 – almost accidentally, after pitching burlesque for a weekly event – she's built something bigger than a stage show. With a 10-person core team, an in-house studio called Maison Rouge, and a full-blown entertainment agency under her belt, she's turning Bangkok's nightlife into a space of empowerment and sparkle-fuelled soul.
'People are craving more than a fancy dinner or a nice view. They want experiences. That's where we come in.'
From fire performers to aerial acts, from lavish themed soirées to creative consulting, her team's reshaping what entertainment can look and feel like. But at its heart, Madame Rouge is still about people. And feeling. And chaos – of the best kind.
'The way we work is chaotic to say the least. Perfectionists would cry if they saw our process. But somehow it all comes together.'
Her approach to leadership is as fierce as it is freeing. She's not a micromanager; she's a ringmaster of organised chaos, letting her team thrive in their own brilliance.
'I show up as myself,' she says, 'and the ones who work with me long-term know it makes for a more honest, fun and collaborative experience.'
Beyond the feathers and rhinestones, her true power is in the way she lifts others – especially women. From performers-turned-choreographers to a designer who started as an intern and now runs his own team, Madame Rouge's universe is built on growth, glitter and grit.
'Watching people grow into their confidence is one of the best parts of my job,' she says. 'I used to have terrible stage fright. Now I'm more comfortable in the spotlight than in daylight. After all, I'm a nocturnal creature.'
As the entertainment scene in Bangkok evolves post-pandemic, Madame Rouge is charging forward – flaming batons in hand. Her latest venture is Flame Fatale, Asia's first all-female fire troupe. And in between all the sparkle, she's also consulting, dreaming of touring and maybe one day opening a permanent space that fully embodies her world.
'There's always something brewing in the background. The second things start feeling too easy, I know it's time to shake it up again.'
So what is the world of Madame Rouge, really? A fevered dream cloaked in silk and sequins? A femme-powered fantasy soaked in jazz and neon? A flickering memory of some jazz-soaked Chinatown that never truly existed? Perhaps it's all of those things, stitched into a universe where performance becomes protest, femininity becomes power, and storytelling happens through gesture, glance and glorious costume change.
'I want people to leave our shows feeling like they just stepped into an alternate dimension, but a sexy, hilarious, slightly unhinged one. Because when you do what you love, with people you trust, the energy becomes infectious. It's not just the sparkle… it's the soul behind it.'
'We're weird. We're extra. But we're also real as hell,' she says with a wink. 'And we put our whole hearts into this thing. If people walk away feeling inspired, entertained, or even slightly confused in a good way, then we've done our job.'
This is her world where contradictions don't cancel each other out – they create chemistry. Where glamour isn't superficial, but radical. And where being 'too much' is beyond acknowledged but celebrated.