A homegrown brand delights the crowd with its colourful and meaningful designs, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup.
A FEW years ago, Lisette Scheers would happily approach anyone wearing one of her Nala outfits. Back when the fashion and stationery brand was quite small, that person is probably someone she knew.
Scheers started Nala 10 years ago as a side gig to her advertising job. From a small shop selling paper prints and notebooks in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur to a flagship lifestyle store in Bangsar Village II and outlets in major department stores, Nala’s customers have gone far beyond her social circle.
Nala also has a presence in Europe, Japan and several Asean countries, including a 10-store deal with Central Department Store in Thailand. While she doesn’t set out to sell bags or clothes, that’s what Nala is mainly known for these days.
A Dutch national who was born in Singapore but raised in Malaysia, Scheers is inspired by vintage Malaysia. In her hands, patterns from grilles, tiles and plates are turned into colourful scarves and skirts that are charming and delightful.
Perhaps there’s something in her background that made her see beauty in things other people take for granted, together with her training in graphic design and experience in advertising.
Nala is a reflection of Scheers – of her personality and the things she sees.
WALK ON THE MOON
“I feel like I’m on a time limit,” says Scheers. “I’m 48 and I have to get it all out before I die. I do these collections overnight and everything is hand-drawn. Three hours later, you’ve got four collections with 12 patterns. I’m quick and I feel I need to cover every aspect of Malaysian life.
“I always say you design with your stomach, not your eyes or head. When you’re looking for something and then you see It — that’s the feeling I get with design. So you don’t stop until you have It in your stomach.”
Meanwhile, a recent collection called Over the Moon came from old mooncake moulds that she found at a flea market in Kuching, Sarawak. She also found vintage Malay jewellery there, and patterns from these items form the basis of the collection’s prints.
Another collection is called Jalan-Jalan in the Park, which is inspired by the Perdana Botanical Gardens in Kuala Lumpur and the nearby Parliament building.
It speaks for her love of nature and architecture, and enjoying simple pleasures like walking in the park.
“I grew up in an old house in Ampang and I live in a kampong house in now. I can’t live in an apartment because I feel such a connection with grass and trees. I feel the same with snow and I find flowering trees extremely romantic,” says Scheers.
UNLIMITED BY LIMITS
For each collection, Scheers will work with 10 specially-chosen colours, and that’s it.
Her dresses come in particularly feminine cuts with a cinched waist and full skirt. The men’s shirt have the same prints and a relaxed cut.
Some of the midi skirts come in wool for the European market, but she mostly works with cotton for the clothes and silk for the scarves. Nala also releases kebaya tops and cheongsam dresses according to the festive season.
Scheers still makes stationery and homeware such as cushion covers and oven mitts, along with colourful totes and clutches. She sells fabrics by the metre too, so customers can turn Nala prints into anything they desire.
“The cut of my dresses is very 1950’s because I love that period and I want everyone to look pretty,” says Scheers.
“I don’t pretend I’m a fashion designer but when I wear my dresses, I feel like a princess and it’s important for people people feel pretty and elegant.”
A MAXIMALIST MUJI
Apart from that, Scheers has no rules. She chooses her colours based on what she likes and her patterns from what she sees around her. She doesn’t research trends or look at what people in Paris or New York are doing.
“Fashion is rubbish,” she says slyly. “I go to tradeshows around the world and if people like it, they like it and they tack it onto something that’s currently trending. But fashion is based on emotion. People buy according to how they feel.”
Going forward, Scheers wants to expand on crockery and home furnishings. She had carpets made in one of the mooncake shapes, which sold out quickly.
She’d also collaborated with a French wallpaper manufacturer for the Paris store, but says it’s too complicated to bring to Malaysia.
“My dream is to have something like Muji, but Nala,” says Scheers.
But isn’t the Japanese store all about quiet minimalism and understated style – the opposite of Nala’s bright prints and cheerful spirit?
“It is! But I want that same accessible design, with colours, good quality and timeless designs.”