Full Circle at Tanglin

by Arnaud | Feb 24, 2026 | Culture

5 min read

Full Circle at Tanglin

My mother was digging through her archives and found something extraordinary.
A copy of Tanglin Shopper magazine from 1973.

LISETTE

I was three years old then. Tanglin was already there. Already alive. Already full of shops, energy, aspiration and style.

And now, decades later, we have a shop in Tanglin Mall.

If that is not full circle, I do not know what is.

Flipping through the pages feels like opening a time capsule. The typography is beautiful. The advertisements are earnest and proud. There are diamond stores, beauticians, directories of tenants. Bata was already around. American Express too. The rhythm of retail, already established.

One headline made me smile: How to work away the flab. The photographs are priceless. The activewear from 1973 looks nothing like what we wear today, yet the message feels familiar. There is also House of Donnie, described as being for the fat and the not so fat. And fifteen hints on how to stay slim.

Clearly, some conversations never change.

It is fascinating to see how culture evolves while certain human concerns remain exactly the same. The silhouettes shift. The colours shift. The language softens or sharpens. But the desire to feel good, look good, belong, and improve ourselves has always been there.

For me, Tanglin Mall is not just another location. I was born in Singapore. Life moved. The brand grew in Malaysia. And now we are back in Singapore, in Tanglin Mall. That small discovery in my mother’s archive suddenly made everything feel connected.

Sometimes the universe leaves you a quiet reminder that nothing is random. That stories loop back. That places hold memory.

And that it always pays to keep old magazines.

Where It All Began

by Arnaud | Feb 23, 2026 | Design

5 min read

Where It All Began

While going through old boxes, I found a sketchbook from 1989. It was my first year at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, where I studied graphic design and illustration.

LISETTE

Opening it felt like meeting my younger self.

This was completely pre computer era. The typography was handwritten. Layouts were drawn by hand. Text was applied manually or prepared for silkscreen. We were only just beginning to hear about computers, but they were not part of our daily practice at school. Everything required patience. Precision. Touch.

You can see it in the pages. The lines are not perfect, but they are intentional. The spacing is considered. The letters carry personality because they were shaped slowly, by hand.

I had just left Malaysia, so naturally that was the theme closest to my heart. Distance has a way of sharpening memory. The tropical references, the textures, the cultural elements, they appear instinctively throughout the work. When you are far from home, you draw home.

One project featured an Aikido school. Another was a packaging assignment for fish. Of course I chose ikan bilis. It has always been my favourite fish, so even in Antwerp, thousands of kilometres away, that small anchovy made its way into my design brief.

Looking back at these pages now, almost three decades later, I see the beginning of everything. The love for typography. The fascination with culture. The instinct to connect story and design. The discipline of working by hand.

It is humbling and comforting at the same time. A reminder that the foundation was always there. Long before Nala. Long before stores. Long before social media.

Just paper. Ink. Ideas. And a girl far from home, drawing her way forward.

Why We Should Be Following Artists Like This

by Arnaud | Feb 22, 2026 | Culture

5 min read

Why We Should Be Following Artists Like This

There is something deeply satisfying about watching someone master a simple tool.

LISETTE

On Instagram, kamulch creates extraordinary cityscapes using nothing more than a fountain pen. No digital corrections. No undo button. Just ink, paper, and an incredible amount of patience. The level of detail he achieves is almost unbelievable. Entire streets unfold through thousands of tiny, deliberate lines. It is mind blowing.

What resonates with me personally is the choice of tool. I also draw everything with a fountain pen. There is something about that constant flow of ink that feels alive. The line does not hesitate. It moves as you move. I choose my fountain pens carefully, depending on the thickness of the nib and the kind of line I want to create. And I always carry one with me. It is not just a pen, it is an extension of the hand.

Of course, what he does is another level entirely. The patience alone is extraordinary. To sit, observe, and build an entire world line by line requires discipline, focus, and devotion to craft. You can feel the hours inside each drawing.

And this is exactly the kind of work we should be filling our feeds with. Not gossip. Not endless drama about kings and queens and scandals. But craft. Skill. Dedication. The beauty of someone quietly perfecting their art.

In a world that moves too fast, watching ink flow steadily across paper is a reminder that mastery still exists. And that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is slow down and draw.

The Kinchaku – A Little Pouch with a Long History

by Arnaud | Feb 21, 2026 | Design

5 min read

The Kinchaku
A Little Pouch with a Long History

The kinchaku dates back to Japan’s Edo period, a time when daily objects were made with extraordinary care. Originally, these small drawstring pouches were worn with kimono, since kimono did not have pockets. Men and women used them to carry coins, medicines, seals, or small personal treasures. Practical, yes, but always beautiful.

LISETTE

The word kinchaku simply refers to a drawstring pouch, yet culturally it carries more than function. It represents portability, intention, and the Japanese appreciation for objects that are both useful and poetic. Something small. Something personal. Something held close.

Our version honours that history while giving it a new silhouette. We crafted these kinchaku with leather handles, elevating the traditional pouch into something that can be carried effortlessly today. The form remains soft and sculptural, but the detailing makes it contemporary and strong.

And inside each bag, there is something extra special.

A 10 cent coin.

In Japan, placing a coin inside a pouch or wallet has long symbolised prosperity and good fortune. It is a small gesture, but one filled with meaning. A wish for abundance. A quiet blessing for the person who carries it. We loved the idea of sending each kinchaku into the world already carrying luck within it.

These pieces are also deeply personal to us. They are made using our archive fabrics, stock we have protected and waited to use for six or seven years. I always knew these prints deserved the right form. The right moment. The kinchaku was that moment.

There are around twenty designs in total, each one limited. Once they are gone, they are gone. Every pouch carries its own story through the fabric, layered with time and memory.

Each kinchaku may be modest in scale, but it carries layers of meaning. History from the Edo period. Archive fabrics we have guarded for years. A small coin tucked inside as a quiet wish for prosperity. It is the kind of piece that feels intimate when you hold it, as though it already has a story before you even begin your own.

The LS Do – A Monthly Market at Kasturi

by Arnaud | Feb 21, 2026 | Events, Food

5 min read

The LS Do
A Monthly Market at Kasturi

We call it the LS Do, and it is exactly what it sounds like. A fun, vibrant market happening every last Saturday of the month at Kasturi.

LISETTE

Doors open at 10am, and from the morning onwards the space fills with music, food, craft, and community. We are inviting buskers to come and play their songs and share their sound. They bring their own instruments, we provide the mic, and together we create the atmosphere. Throughout the day there will also be a live DJ, keeping the energy flowing.

Good food and beautiful craft are part of what makes this day special. We are welcoming one of the finest tofu makers in Malaysia, serving thoughtful Japanese dishes that are simple, refined, and deeply satisfying. At the same time, Gerai OA will be joining us with their extraordinary indigenous baskets, each one handwoven and rooted in heritage, carrying story and culture within every strand.

And here is the big surprise.

Everyone thought we were not doing Raya this year. But we are.

At this LS Do, we officially launch our Hari Raya collection at the market. The new balloon skirts will make their debut, playful yet elegant, sculptural yet easy to wear. They are designed to celebrate movement, celebration, and togetherness, and they deserve to be seen in person. If you have been waiting for Raya, this is it.

So come and join us.

Saturday the 28th
Location : Kasturi
Time : Doors open at 10am
Live buskers
DJ
Japanese food
Indigenous craft
Raya launch

Bring your friends, stay for a while, and celebrate with us.

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