From Compromise to Conviction

by Arnaud | Jul 31, 2026 | Taste

5 min read

From Compromise to Conviction

A pop-up may be temporary, but your standards should never be.

LISETTE

When we moved into our Great World pop-up, we inherited someone else's design decisions. Dark walls, black fixtures, an atmosphere that simply wasn't Nala. At first, I told myself it didn't matter. It was only temporary.

But every day I walked into the store, something felt off.

Our brand is built on one simple belief: we make our universe beautiful. If we expect our team to live that philosophy, then the spaces they spend eight hours a day in should inspire them too. Customers may not always be able to explain it, but they feel it. Our team certainly does.

The moment the black walls came down, the entire shop seemed to breathe. It felt lighter, warmer and finally like us.

The experience reminded me that beautiful spaces don't need enormous budgets. They need thoughtful choices: better lighting, the right colours, carefully selected materials, fresh flowers and the courage to remove what doesn't belong.

I'm incredibly grateful to the Great World team, our contractors and our own team for making what seemed impossible happen in less than 24 hours.

Is it perfect? Not yet. I'd still change a few things. But waiting for perfection is often the best excuse for never starting.

This renovation reminded me of something much bigger than retail.

Compromise has a way of quietly becoming the standard we accept. Until one day, we realise we've stopped creating the world we actually want to live in.

Sometimes the biggest transformation isn't building something new.

It's simply deciding you're no longer willing to compromise.

A Morning at MacRitchie

by Arnaud | Jul 31, 2026 | Travel

5 min read

A Morning at MacRitchie

Our original mission was simple: spend the morning walking around the beautiful MacRitchie Reservoir and then find a good plate of nasi lemak afterwards. The first part was easy. The second… not so much.

LISETTE

MacRitchie is one of those rare places where Singapore seems to slow down. The water is perfectly still, monitor lizards wander along the banks, and colourful canoes glide silently across the reservoir. We even discovered that you can rent one yourself, which has immediately gone onto my list for our next visit.

One of the highlights of the morning, however, wasn’t the reservoir at all. It was the lovely gentleman at the canoe rental kiosk. We started chatting, and before long he was telling us about a tiny footpath that doesn’t appear on most maps. “Take that path,” he said, “and you’ll find a whole different neighbourhood.”

That’s one of the things I love most about Singapore. Strike up a conversation with almost anyone and they’ll have a recommendation, a story or a favourite place they’re excited to share. There’s a genuine openness and generosity here that makes exploring the city feel wonderfully personal.

So we followed his advice.

The little path led us through a quiet residential neighbourhood before opening onto a charming row of shophouses that honestly felt more like a coastal town in Australia than the middle of Singapore. It had that relaxed, neighbourhood atmosphere where independent cafés sit alongside local shops, and everyone seems to know one another. And that’s where we found our breakfast.

Plain Vanilla was everything I love in a neighbourhood bakery. Beautifully designed without trying too hard, warm and genuinely friendly service, and the sort of place that immediately makes you feel at home.

I chose the lemon polenta cake, while Arnaud couldn’t resist the chocolate cake with its wonderfully gooey salted caramel centre. We shared both, and I’m very glad we did. They were every bit as delicious as they looked.

Sometimes the best travel experiences aren’t the famous attractions. They’re the unexpected conversations, the hidden footpaths and the local recommendations that never make it into the guidebooks.

MacRitchie gave us beautiful nature. A friendly conversation gave us a hidden route.

The Story Behind the Fan

by Arnaud | Jul 31, 2026 | Design

5 min read

The Story Behind the Fan

In Japan, the fan is more than just beautiful. Because it opens outwards, it symbolizes new beginnings, happiness and a future full of possibilities. It has appeared in Japanese art, textiles and prints for centuries, and I’ve always loved its timeless elegance.

LISETTE

Our Fan Print was inspired by Nala’s Sweet 16 trip to Tokyo. It was our first time exploring Japan together, and I somehow managed to blow most of our travel budget in the first few days thanks to a rather embarrassing currency conversion mistake. After that, we slowed down, wandered the city on foot, discovered beautiful shrines, museums and tiny neighbourhood restaurants, and ended up having an even better adventure than we’d planned.

The print brings those memories together with our signature birds and willow branches. Available as tablecloths, pillowcases, computer sleeves, and our much loved maxi bags, now back and lined with our signature diamond print.

A little side note. These photographs were taken in my sister Fleur’s beautiful home in Antwerp. She has impeccable taste and is the person who taught me so much about styling and visual merchandising. Everywhere you look, there is beauty. Her home feels as though it was made for Nala, which made it the perfect backdrop for this collection. If you’re ever in Antwerp, be sure to visit her café, Kopi O.

Launching this Saturday.

Wednesday Is the New Monday

by Arnaud | Jul 24, 2026 | Culture

5 min read

Wednesday Is the New Monday

Because if you don’t treat Wednesday like Monday, it will already be Friday.

LISETTE

Wednesday has become one of my favourite days of the week. It sits quietly in the middle, almost unnoticed. Monday arrives full of ambition and good intentions, Tuesday flies by, and before you know it, you’re already halfway through the week. At that point, you have a choice. You can simply coast towards Friday, or you can stop, reset and begin again.

That is why I believe Wednesday is the new Monday. It is a second chance without having to wait for another week. It is the perfect moment to look at what you promised yourself on Monday, notice what has fallen away and decide that the week is not finished yet. Because if I don’t treat Wednesday like Monday, it will already be Friday.

Interestingly, the name itself has a rather remarkable history. Wednesday comes from the Old English word Wōdnesdæg, meaning “Woden’s Day.” Woden, the Anglo-Saxon counterpart of Odin, was associated with wisdom, knowledge and discovery. I rather like the idea that the middle of the week has, for centuries, been connected with curiosity and the pursuit of something greater.

Wonderful Wednesday also began for deeply personal reasons. A long time ago, the universe gave me something on a Wednesday. Whether it was coincidence, fate or simply perfect timing, I still don’t know. I only know that ever since, Wednesdays have become my weekly reminder to stay open to whatever life has planned next.

I don’t believe every person enters our lives by accident. Some arrive to stay, while others leave us with a different way of looking at the world. Some memories deserve a quiet little place in our lives without needing to become the entire story. They remind us to stay open, to stay curious and to trust that life has a habit of placing exactly the right people, moments and lessons in our path when we least expect them.

That is why I never think of Wednesday as the middle of the week. I think of it as a weekly reboot. A chance to breathe, take responsibility for where I am and start again. You don’t need a new year, a new month or even a new week to change direction. Sometimes all you need is a Wednesday.

So here’s to Wonderful Wednesday. May it remind you that there is still time. Time to begin again, to change your mind, to reconnect with your purpose and to stay open to the beautiful surprises the universe has not shown you yet.

Watch the Patterns Come to Life

by Arnaud | Jul 24, 2026 | Events, Taste

5 min read

Watch the Patterns Come to Life

This weekend, the studio moves to Great World.
Have you ever wondered how a Nala pattern begins?

LISETTE

This weekend, we’re bringing the creative process out of the studio and into the store. I’ll be painting live at our Great World boutique on Saturday and Sunday from 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm, working on two brand new illustrations right there in front of you.

If you’ve ever visited my desk, you’ll know it won’t be neat. There will be paint, brushes, sketches, a fair bit of organised chaos and, hopefully, by the end of the afternoon, two new artworks ready to begin their journey into future Nala collections.

One of the things I love most about Nala is that every pattern starts by hand. Before it becomes fabric, a bag or a piece of clothing, it begins with pencil, paint and plenty of trial and error. There are no shortcuts, just the joy of creating something from a blank sheet of paper.

So if you’re in the neighbourhood, come by and say hello. Ask questions, watch the process unfold or simply pull up a chair and stay for a while. I’d love to meet you.

You’ll find us at Great World, opposite Starbucks, and everyone is welcome.

I hope to see you this weekend.

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