Some cities leave an impression, while others quietly find their way into your heart. Taipei was one of those places. What still makes me smile is that our first impression could not have been more wrong. I travelled there with my daughter, Nala, who had just finished school and was about to begin a six month sabbatical studying Chinese at Taipei University. Like every city we visit, we looked at each other within minutes of arriving and said, “I don’t think we could ever live here.” Yet within a week, everything had changed. The city had completely won us over.

There was something magical about Taipei. It is wonderfully safe, endlessly creative and full of character. Every street seemed to reveal another hidden café, another beautiful little shop or another reminder that creativity thrives when people are given the space to express themselves. The food was extraordinary, the people were incredibly kind, and before long we found ourselves wondering how we had ever doubted the city in the first place. To this day, I cannot think of a single thing I didn’t love about it, and I cannot wait to return.

The trip also marked an important chapter in both our lives. It was Nala’s first experience of living away from home, and my first experience of becoming an empty nester. Watching her settle into a new city, make new friends and build a life of her own was both emotional and incredibly rewarding. I still remember celebrating New Year’s Eve on my own, wearing oversized party sunglasses and one of my wonderfully outrageous circus dresses, while Nala was out welcoming the new year with her new friends. It was one of those moments when you realise your children are beginning to write stories that are entirely their own.

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions we ever made. Nala immersed herself in a new culture, learned a new language and gained an independence that only comes from living abroad. I discovered that letting go can be just as rewarding as holding on.

Travel has a remarkable way of weaving together the places we visit and the moments that shape our lives. Years later, it becomes impossible to separate one from the other. Sealed the Deal Red is our tribute to a city that surprised us, inspired us and became part of our family’s story. Every time I see this print, I am reminded that the most meaningful journeys are often the ones we never expected to fall in love with.

The photos may already be online, but the collection is literally travelling with me to Singapore. Give me until Saturday to unpack everything, dress our booth and put the finishing touches in place. Good things are worth waiting for.

This weekend marks the beginning of something very special for us as we launch the very first Pasar Nala at the Singapore Retail Festival.

For us, this isn’t simply another market. It’s a return to where every great brand begins: meeting people face to face, listening to stories, testing ideas, and sharing the joy of beautiful design. Before there were flagship stores, there were markets. Before there were shopping centres, there were conversations across market stalls. That’s the spirit we want to bring back.

You’ll also be among the very first to see our brand new Pasar Nala identity. Every detail has been carefully considered, from the logo to our brand new uniforms, which I’m incredibly proud of. They’re more than uniforms. They represent a new chapter for Pasar Nala, a collection designed especially for our markets, celebrating craftsmanship, colour and the everyday beauty of life in Southeast Asia.

Although created as our team’s market uniform, we’ve had so many people asking about it that we’ve decided to make it available to order in limited quantities as well. You’ll be able to see it in person from Saturday onwards.

Most importantly, I’d love to meet you.

I’ll be at the Singapore Retail Festival on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, so if you’re in town, please come by our booth, say hello, and have a chat. One of my favourite parts of designing isn’t sitting behind a drawing board. It’s hearing your stories, learning what you love, and watching our creations become part of your everyday life.

This is only the beginning of Pasar Nala, and I couldn’t think of a better place to start than Singapore.

See you at the market.

The answer is wonderfully simple. They aren’t models at all.

Just a few days before our Penang campaign, we put out an open invitation to anyone who wanted to be part of the story. We didn’t ask for a certain age, size, profession or look. We simply wanted people. Friends, customers, strangers, families. Anyone who loved Penang and wanted to celebrate it with us.

What happened next was far more beautiful than we could have imagined. Every single person who applied was invited. Not everyone was available on the day, but those who could make it took time away from work, family and their own busy lives to spend a day with us on the streets of Penang.

Our cast included a retired law lecturer, an entrepreneur, a digital marketer, a special needs teacher, a project manager, an operations manager and even someone from the car towing industry. Queenie, Nora, Noralina, Luis, Mican, Sonja and Khairil all came together with one thing in common. They believed in celebrating the place they call home.

Watching them in front of the camera was a reminder of something we’ve always believed at Nala. Beauty has never belonged to a particular age, body or profession. It lives in confidence, kindness, character and the stories we each carry with us. The most memorable photographs are rarely about perfect poses. They’re about real moments, genuine laughter and people who feel comfortable being themselves.

That has always been the spirit behind Nala. We don’t design clothes for an idealised version of someone. We create pieces for real people living real lives, and we hope that every pattern becomes part of their own story.

To everyone who joined us, thank you. You trusted us with your time, your energy and your smiles, and in doing so you transformed a fashion shoot into something much more meaningful. You reminded us that Penang is filled with remarkable people who are creative, generous and proud of where they come from. We often search far and wide for inspiration, only to discover that everything we need has been here all along.

This is our love letter to each of you. Thank you for bringing Aloha Kita to life, and thank you for reminding us that the most beautiful campaigns are never built around models. They’re built around people.

Over the coming days, we’ll be introducing each member of our wonderful street cast. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know them as much as we did.

After saying goodbye to our large store at Kasturi Walk, we’re happy to tell you that we’re still here in Chinatown, on Jalan Hang Kasturi. Just a little smaller, a little cosier, and every bit as special.

Welcome to Nala Kantoor Kedai, our temporary little shop inside our HQ, run by CT.

Here you’ll find special pieces, small collections, beautiful fabrics, and the opportunity to create something made just for you. Our tailors are on site, so whether you’re dreaming of a custom dress, an evening gown, or something designed to your measurements, we’d love to help bring it to life.

The best part? You’re stepping right into our creative home. You’ll see where our team works, where ideas are sketched, where fabrics are chosen, and where every Nala piece begins. We have lots of exciting plans for this space, and you’ll see them unfold one by one over the coming months.

Our doors officially open on Saturday, 4 July.

Open daily from 10.00am to 7.00pm.

Entry is from the side of Nala Kasturi on the 4th floor.

We’d love to welcome you upstairs.

While inspired by Hawaii, it was brought to life much closer to home, in Penang, an island that reminds me every day that we have our own version of aloha right here in Southeast Asia.

This Saturday, we are excited to launch the very first Aloha mini drop, available exclusively at Nala Great World, Singapore.

This first release offers a glimpse into the world of Aloha, featuring beautiful Indian cottons, tropical prints, and, for the first time in Nala’s history, a complete black outfit. After countless requests from our customers, we finally said yes, and the result is elegant, effortless, and surprisingly timeless.

Alongside the prints are a selection of beautiful solids designed to mix, match, and travel effortlessly through everyday life.

I am incredibly proud of this story. It’s full of sunshine. For now small first drop before the rest of Aloha arrives.

We hope you’ll love it as much as we do.

Available from Saturday onwards, exclusively at Nala Great World, Singapore.

Aloha by Nala

If you forgot, don’t panic. We’ve got you covered. Our NALA caps are just RM50 in Malaysia and make the perfect gift for the dad who appreciates a bit of style. Better yet, pair one with one of our brand new hand printed T shirts, fresh in store this weekend, for an effortlessly cool combination.

something he’ll actually use and enjoy. No novelty socks, no last minute supermarket chocolates, just thoughtful gifts with a bit of personality.

After all, dads deserve to be celebrated all year round. Better late than never.