Queen of colour
A homegrown brand delights the crowd with its colourful and meaningful designs, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup.
AFEW years ago, Lisette Scheers would have happily approached anyone wearing one of her Nala outfits. Back when the fashion and stationery brand was quite small, that person would have probably been 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 noteuala books in Bangsar, Lumpur to a flagnBangsarVillageIIand shiplifestylestore outlets in major department stores, Nala’s customers have gone far beyond her social circle.
Nala also ha a presence in Europe, Japan an several Asean countries, includin a 10-store deal with Central Department Store in Thailand. While she didn’t set out tosellbagsorclot es,that’swhat Nala is mainly known for these days.
A Dutch national who was born in Singapore but raised in Malayinspired sia, Scheers is by vintage Malaysia. In her h nds, patterns from grilles, tiles nd plates are turned into colourful scarves and skirts that are charming and delightful.
Perhaps there something in her background t at makes her see beauty in thin s other people take for granted, t gether with her training in graphic esign and expeg. rience in advertisi
Nala is a refle tion of Scheers — of her personal y and the things she sees.
WALKONTHEM ON
“I feel like I’m on a time limit,” says Scheers. “I’m 48 and I have to get it all out be ore I die. I do these collections vernight and everythingishand drawn.Three hours later,you’ve got four colpatterns. lections with 12 I’m quick and I feel I need to cover every aspect of Malaysian life.
“I always say y u 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 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 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. Totebags in colourful Nala prints.
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 clothes and silk for the scarves. Nala also releases kebaya tops and cheongsam dresses for 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 to 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 has also collaborated with a French wallpathe per manufacturer for Paris store, but says it’s too co mplicated to bring to Malaysia.
“My dream is to have somebut thing like Muji, Nala,” says Scheers.
But isn’t the Japanese store all about quiet minand imalism understat— ed style the opposite of Nala’s bright prints and cheerful spirit? “It is! But I want that same accesdesign, sible with colours, good qualand ity timeless designs.”
I’m quick and I feel I need to cover every aspect of Malaysian life. Lisette Scheers