It’s Actually a Really Nice Magazine

by Arnaud | May 8, 2026 | Travel

5 min read

It’s Actually a Really Nice Magazine

Nobody talks to each other on planes anymore.
That would be absurd.

LISETTE

Instead, we stare at Instagram, answer WhatsApp messages we could perfectly reply to after landing, and convince ourselves that being “reachable” at 35,000 feet somehow means we are winning at life. Always one step ahead. But perhaps, occasionally, it’s not such a bad thing to be one step behind.

Which is exactly why Going Places, the in-flight magazine by Malaysia Airlines, deserves a little more credit.

Because surprisingly, it’s actually a really nice magazine.

Not the kind you politely flip through during turbulence before returning to your phone. Properly nice. The design is beautiful, the photography is thoughtful, and the articles are genuinely interesting. Someone clearly cared while making it, which already makes it slightly revolutionary these days.

And yet hardly anyone opens it.
It just sits there quietly in the seat pocket while we continue watching strangers reorganise their kitchens on TikTok or typing messages that can almost certainly wait another two hours. Which is a shame, really. Because Going Places is full of the sort of things that make travel exciting in the first place. Beautiful resorts. Great restaurants. Places you suddenly want to visit. Small discoveries you probably would never have searched for yourself because the algorithm was too busy feeding you things you never asked for.

There is also something strangely comforting about reading a physical magazine on a flight. You slow down a little. You turn pages. You pause. You accidentally discover something interesting instead of being told what to look at next.

So the next time you fly, maybe look up from your phone for a moment.

You don’t necessarily have to talk to your neighbour. Let’s not get too ambitious.

But at least open the magazine.
It’s actually worth your time.

And as a small side note, we are especially proud this month, because Nala Designs happens to have an ad featured in this bi-monthly issue as well.

Daiso’s Secret Weapon

by Arnaud | May 8, 2026 | Culture

5 min read

Daiso’s Secret Weapon

Singapore has a secret weapon, and strangely enough, it’s hidden inside Daiso Singapore.

LISETTE

Not the chaotic, plastic-heavy version most of us grew up with. Not the place where you buy emergency hangers and forgettable storage boxes. Next to our store at Great World sits something called Standard Products, and honestly, it’s one of the most inspiring retail concepts I’ve seen in a very long time.

Imagine if MUJI loosened up a little, discovered color, and started designing everyday objects with actual soul.
That’s Standard Products.

The magic is not in expensive materials or luxury branding. The magic is in restraint. A tissue box suddenly feels gift-worthy. A soap dispenser becomes something you actually want to leave on your sink. Even the candles, scissors, notebooks, kitchen cloths, and storage baskets feel considered. Nothing screams for attention, yet everything quietly works together.

And the packaging. My god, the packaging. The colors are spot on. Soft earthy tones, muted greens, warm creams, dusty blues. The kind of palette that makes you realize how visuall

What I love most is that they prove something very important:

Good design should not only belong to expensive brands.
There is something deeply democratic about making beautiful objects accessible. It reminds you that design is not about price. It’s about care. About editing. About understanding proportion, color, texture, and human behavior.

They also have incredibly beautiful knives, which are surprisingly difficult to find these days. Years ago, I used to hunt for good kitchen knives at Isetan Kuala Lumpur, but now you can walk into Standard Products and suddenly find objects that feel almost Japanese boutique level, without the intimidating price tag.

It’s also the perfect place for gifts. The kind of gifts that feel thoughtful because they are useful. A beautifully packed soap. A set of kitchen tools. Elegant stationery. Tiny objects that make daily life feel just a little more beautiful.

It understands something many brands forget: people are tired of clutter, but they are still hungry for beauty.

The Last Polyester Scarves We Will Ever Make

by Arnaud | May 8, 2026 | Design

5 min read

The Last Polyester Scarves We Will Ever Make

There are moments in a company’s journey where you quietly close a chapter.
This is one of them.

LISETTE

This weekend, we launch two final polyester scarves before moving fully towards natural materials for future collections. No drama. No grand announcement. Just a conscious decision about where we want to go, and how we want to create from this point onwards.

The first scarf is called Bouquet.

A wreath of flowers drawn from years of NALA archives. Old blooms reappearing again, woven together like memories from past collections. Some flowers were inspired by travels, some by gardens, some by tiny observations that most people would walk past without noticing. Together, they form a circular bouquet that feels almost ceremonial. Like a farewell.

The second scarf is called Bunga Doily Green.

At first glance, it almost looks like an antique lace doily. But hidden inside the pattern is the bunga raya, quietly deconstructed and layered into something softer and more intricate. The details are incredibly delicate. Floral lines folding into each other until the scarf almost feels architectural from afar, yet very feminine up close.

It’s the kind of print that changes depending on how you use it. Beautiful around the neck, tied onto a bag, worn as a top, or even framed on a wall. We’ve always loved objects that can move between fashion and interiors, and this scarf naturally does both.

And yes, practical matters too.

They travel easily, survive the washing machine beautifully, and keep their sharpness and color incredibly well. Polyester allowed us to create these crisp details and saturated tones over the years. Many of you discovered NALA through these scarves.

But design evolves, and so do values.

As we move forward, we want to explore fabrics that age differently, breathe differently, and carry texture and imperfection in a more natural way. Materials with soul. Materials that become more beautiful through use.

So these scarves mark the end of an era.

The final polyester scarves we will ever produce.

A last chance for those who love the practicality, lightness, and crispness of our classic printed scarves.

And somehow, it feels fitting that the goodbye comes wrapped in flowers.

Your Mum Will Be Happy For Months

by Arnaud | May 8, 2026 | Events, Taste

5 min read

Your Mum Will Be Happy For Months

This weekend, every purchase comes with a bouquet of fresh flowers for the women we love most.

LISETTE

Wrapped in an exclusive paper pattern created especially for Mother’s Day, each bouquet is designed to feel like a small piece of art. Something thoughtful. Something beautiful. Something worth remembering.

Fresh flowers have long been connected to happiness, comfort, and emotional wellbeing. Studies show they can instantly lift moods, reduce stress, and bring warmth into a home. Sometimes the smallest gesture leaves the biggest impression.

At Nala, flowers have always been part of our universe. They appear in our patterns, our stories, and in the belief that beauty should live around us every day.

And here’s the beautiful part.
Your bouquet may last for months.

A little flower secret from us: trim the stems slightly and refresh the water every two or three days. The greens will stay beautiful for a very long time, becoming a quiet reminder of Mother’s Day long after the weekend is over.

Available this weekend at all NALA stores in Malaysia and at our Great World store in Singapore.

The 30% Sweet Spot

by Arnaud | May 2, 2026 | Events

5 min read

The 30% Sweet Spot

Estate Collection, now at 30% off.

LISETTE

30 feels like a sweet spot. Not too much, not too little. Just right.

This is where everything comes together. Maxi bags, totes, pouches, pieces that carry your day and move easily from bed to bag to table.

If you feel like going a little further, you can. Match your pouch to your bag, your bag to your table runner, your table to your mood. It is practical, but it also makes you smile.

Mother’s Day is around the corner. These are the gifts that feel thoughtful without trying too hard.

👜 30% off Estate Collection for May
🏡 Table runners everyone loves
✨ Tablecloths still at 50%

In stores across Singapore and Malaysia, and online.

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