Go behind the scenes with our #proudlylokal series of posts and get to know more about the brands that we are proudly working with in conjunction with Merdeka month!
Founded by Dayana Reza, Nyonya Kain is a brand built out of her love for textiles and the rich traditions that she grew up with back in Melaka. Today, Nyonya Kain provides products that carry various peranakan elements with the aim to bring batik and traditional attire back into our modern lifestyle!
Nuff said, let's take a look at what Dayana has to say!
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D: Dayana Reza |
Nyonya Kain Founder, Dayana Reza
KK: Please tell us a little bit about who you are and how you started.
D: Nyonya Kain was founded by Dayana Reza to illustrate the versatility and uniqueness of batik as well as it is a social impact project which gives back to various causes such as youth and entrepreneurship mentoring, frontliners, women empowerment, animal welfare and many more.
I grew up in Melaka and have always been in love with rich traditions from the peranakan and Malay archipelago culture. As a result of this, the products are primarily infused with various peranakan elements and Malaysian artisanal creations.
As a sustainable brand, Nyonya Kain ensures every piece of fabric is utilised fully into fashionwear and remaining remnants are made into accessories, which all cater to both men and women of all ages.
KK: How does your brand carry the Malaysian #proudlylokal identity?
D: Nyonya Kain represents everything Malaysian, the founders, the artisans, majority of the textile producers and the people we work with! We grow together, we develop the arts and craft scene in Malaysia together and we all shine together! Together, we aim to showcase and increase awareness on Malaysian traditions and how it can be featured and used by everyone in the modern times.
KK: What is your brand vision?
D: To bring back the art and culture from our past traditions and incorporate into our everyday lifestyle. We want to showcase how Malaysian arts and crafts, particularly Batik and Songket can be made stylish, fun and perfect for every possible occasion.
KK: What keeps you going?
D: The drive and passion to succeed, to inspire others, to share our story and spread acts of kindness, determination and resilience. Another important catalyst is the people we work tirelessly to put a smile on their faces - our lovely supporters, customers and partners. Having people who believe in our dream and adventures make everything worth the blood, sweat and tears. Nyonya Kain serves as our sole social impact vehicle which ensures that the different social initiatives are taken care of on a monthly basis, stemming from Dayana’s charitable background being raised by her selfless parents who always taught her and her brother the importance of humility and giving back.
KK: What are some of the most memorable moments in your journey?
D: Definitely the people in our entire ecosystem - Every order, transaction, supply and engagements all have their own stories and memories for us to keep. Perhaps for me some key memorable moments are also some of our triumphs; raising close to RM30,000 to be channeled to various charitable initiatives, exclusively collaborated with big brands such as Sephora, MERCY Malaysia, Hilton Hotels etc. and last but not lease, chosen as a mentor and key role model for budding entrepreneurs and women empowerment initiatives in Malaysia. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it were not for the experiences and knowledge gained from my journey in Nyonya Kain. I would do it all over again if I could and make sure that I enjoy the ride a bit more rather than taking it a bit too seriously or overthinking things when I should have gone with the flow.
We are proud to have Nyonya Kain and Dayana here with us and we really appreciate the time that she had taken out to take part in this interview!
Check out their amazing products at our Kommune retail store at The Habitat Penang Hill or on their website!
Kommune Krew