Meet Our Founders

manekNya was founded by two sisters, Swee Lin (left) and Swee May (right), who shared a passion for preserving and promoting their cultural heritage. Both were drawn to the intricate beauty of this craft, and their love for it eventually led them to start this venture together. Swee Lin has a background in Social Entrepreneurship for the last 8 years, previously co-founded PichaEats and currently, together with manekNya, she also runs her consulting business - Swee & Co for young entrepreneurs. She majored in Finance and left her full-time job in 2016 to pursue her interest in running a business.

Swee May, on the other hand, majored in Economics and has been working in the corporate world. She wants to bring back the Peranakan beading, the beautiful artwork and currently serves as the main trainer for our artisan team. Swee May is also part of the Malaysia Fashion Creativity Award (MFCA) and is the creative force behind manekNya. Her eye for aesthetics and design sense has helped to elevate the brand's image and bring a fresh perspective to traditional Nyonya's beadwork.

Together, they are a dynamic duo have combined their skills to create a brand that celebrates and modernizes the art of beading. Their goal is to not only provide beautiful, high-quality products but also to educate and inspire others to appreciate the art and culture behind it. They hope to be able to preserve and promote this beautiful craft for future generations to enjoy.