Loved Once. Loved Again.

by Arnaud | Sep 11, 2026 | Events

5 min read

Loved Once. Loved Again.

Translating my personal paintings into wearable art for the first time marks a proud creative milestone, successfully blending the soul of the original canvas with the precision of a silkscreened skirt.

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We believe in the quality of what we make. A Nala piece should never be worn for just one season. Our prints and products are made to last, to be passed on, rediscovered and hopefully enjoyed for generations.

That’s why our Nala Pre-Loved Buyback is an important part of our CSR programme, and something we’re always very happy to do.

This weekend, in conjunction with Port Market Vol. 3 at The Campus Ampang, 11 to 13 September, Nala The Campus will become a little pre-loved market.

Bring back your pre-loved Nala pieces, from dresses, skirts and tops to scarves and other Nala treasures. Everything is welcome. In return, you’ll receive a RM100 Nala voucher for dresses and skirts, and RM50 for tops.

And then we give them another life. The pieces we collect will be resold at very friendly prices throughout the weekend, with dresses and skirts at RM80 and tops at RM50.

Come sell, come shop, come rummage. Someone else’s old Nala might just become your new favourite.

A Clockwork Choice

by Arnaud | Sep 11, 2026 | Culture

5 min read

A Clockwork Choice

This book collection is personally chosen by my daughter, Nala,
who shares the books that have caught her attention and stayed with her.

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A Clockwork Orange is a novel by Anthony Burgess, published in 1962. The novel is set in a dystopian England and follows the life of 14-year-old Alex, a juvenile delinquent who is sent to jail and subsequently undergoes a state-sponsored psychological rehabilitation programme aimed at curing his violent and deviant behaviour.

The novel explores the boundaries of human morality and freedom of choice under an extreme political system. Moreover, the novel is written almost fully in a futuristic slang, known as Nadsat, that gives further insight into Alex's psychology and his life.

The novel begins by describing a totalitarian society where extreme violence is ever-present among the youth. Alex, the protagonist, is a teenager who greatly enjoys classical music and is also a member of a violent teen gang. His gang frequently engages in acts of brutality against innocent and defenceless people.

When one of these escapades goes awry and Alex ends up murdering an elderly woman, he is sentenced to 14 years in prison. Eventually, Alex is chosen to undergo a form of aversion therapy, which results in him becoming physically sick whenever he encounters violence, whether simply thinking about it or attempting to commit a crime.

The novel raises important ethical questions, particularly whether it is better to choose to be bad rather than to be forced to be good. It explores the importance of free will and the ethical consequences of suppressing someone's freedom of choice for the sake of society's safety.

Ultimately, A Clockwork Orange forces us to question the role of morality in society, leading me to a quote that stuck with me from the book:

“Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness?”

How to Carry a Collection Through the Jungle

by Arnaud | Sep 11, 2026 | Travel

5 min read

How to Carry a Collection Through the Jungle

Nobody told us you could drive almost all the way to Monkey Beach, so there we were at 7.30 in the morning, carrying an entire Aloha collection through the jungle, down a rather steep path, trying desperately not to crumple the clothes.

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By the time we reached the beach, we were completely drenched.
But it was worth it.

For our second Aloha drop, we took our beautiful Aliya to Monkey Beach for a morning of colour, prints and a little tropical escapism.

And what a great place to shoot. Jungle, sea, rocks, beautiful light and plenty of shade in between. You can bring a book, have a picnic, swim, or simply sit under the trees and do absolutely nothing.

We left KL at 6am, arrived around 7.30am and were back on the road after lunch. So completely doable as a day trip, and one I highly recommend.

It was also quite a surprise coming back. The last time I was here was before lockdown, when there was almost nothing. Now there’s @barbosacove, a little beach café and glamping spot where we had a seriously good nasi lemak and great coffee. Thankfully, still no sandflies.

And for a fashion shoot, it was perfect. Our second Aloha drop is brighter, bolder and full of tropical colour, and Monkey Beach gave us exactly the backdrop we needed.

Come for the beach. Bring a book. Stay for lunch. And maybe wear something colourful.

Mooncakes, Lanterns & Pelikat

by Arnaud | Sep 11, 2026 | Design

5 min read

Mooncakes, Lanterns & Pelikat 🥮🏮

The Mid-Autumn Festival has been celebrated for more than a thousand years, traditionally
on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest.

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The round mooncake echoes the shape of the full moon and symbolises reunion, completeness and togetherness. Families gather, share mooncakes, drink tea and, my favourite part, light lanterns.

For our celebration this year, we brought another tradition into the story: pelikat. Its colourful checks are so familiar in Malaysia, a humble everyday textile that has been worn and loved for generations. We wrapped our mooncake boxes in pelikat, made our mystery bags in pelikat, and even created a pelikat lantern.

I love the meeting of these two traditions. The mooncake and lantern belong to an ancient Chinese festival, while pelikat carries its own history across Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Put them together and it becomes something very Nala: different cultures, colour and stories coming together in one celebration.

And, of course, there is a little mystery inside. Every box comes with a mystery mooncake and a mystery pelikat bag, with a few lucky boxes hiding vouchers too.

This Saturday, follow the lanterns. 🏮

When You’ve Had Enough Dumplings

by Arnaud | Sep 4, 2026 | Food

5 min read

When You’ve Had Enough Dumplings

We’ve been in Shanghai for almost two weeks, and I never thought I would say this, but there comes a moment
when even I need a little break from dumplings. Enter Sloppy Gin.

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Tucked away on Yanping Road in Jing’an, Sloppy Gin is one of those places you wish you had discovered on day one. It was started by self-taught baker Gin Yuanjie, who apparently called it “Sloppy” as a joke to lower everyone’s expectations. A rather dangerous strategy when everything coming out of the kitchen is this good.

They’re famous for their doughnuts and cinnamon rolls, but the flavours are anything but predictable. I had a cardamom bun, a bit like cinnamon roll’s more sophisticated Scandinavian cousin, and an absolutely phenomenal lemon and sage doughnut. Lemon and sage sounds slightly odd until you taste it, and then it makes complete sense. I also tried their spelt croissant, which was really, really good. Their pastries change with the seasons, so there is always something new appearing on the counter.

And then there is the shop next door, owned by Gin’s girlfriend, which makes the whole visit even better. It is a tiny treasure chest filled with beautiful French finds, little antiques, objects and gifts. The sort of shop where you go in “just to look” and inevitably leave carrying something.

So, should you find yourself in Shanghai and suddenly think, I cannot eat another dumpling, head to Yanping Road. Have a croissant. Have the cardamom bun. Definitely have the lemon and sage doughnut.

And then go next door.

Sloppy Gin
425 Yanping Road, Jing’an, Shanghai