Mckenz's Period Swimwear Pairs Poolside Style With Social Impact

Have you ever gotten your period right before a day at the beach or dip in the pool?

19-year-old Kenzie Medhat designed a solution to your problem through Mckenz, the first Egyptian period swimwear brand made by Egyptian hands. And we don't mean period as in from another era - in fact this line is as forward-thinking as it gets. 20% of Mckenz's profits go towards funding period poverty awareness campaigns across Egypt.

“Through education, advocacy, and inclusive branding, Mckenz strives to empower women to embrace their periods as a source of strength and vitality, enabling them to fully participate in the activities they love in and out of water,” Medhat told CairoScene, recounting her brand's mission statement.

After a year and a half of trips to the manufacturer, five iterations of her bikini bottom designs, and eight versions of the one-piece, Medhat developed her first successful sample in May 2025. She launched Mckenz at the end of July. In her first month, she racked up nearly 100 orders.

“You’re going to crash out,” Medhat told us, scrolling to find a photo of her first prototype. “You are not going to believe this is Mckenz.” She flipped her phone to reveal a blue diaper-esque bottom hugging a mannequin. “It was heavy and it leaked,” she laughed, shaking her head. Medhat reached into her purse to reveal the final product, the sleek black ‘Grace Bikini Bottom’ made of sturdy spandex material, complete with a pink satin ‘Mckenz’ bag. Where one might expect a thick padded crotch, the material was thin like any typical bikini bottom.

Medhat walked through how the antibacterial, leak-proof technology works: the first layer instantly absorbs fluid. The second layer underneath locks the fluid in, while the third layer stops leakage. The last layer is the polyester swimsuit material. 

Medhat has overwhelmingly received positive feedback from her customers and from the women in her family who have tested her product. Medhat’s product has also changed her own relationship with swimming while on her period.

“I realised the product succeeded when I had heavy flow on the first day, got into the water, and then sat on a white towel for two hours with no leakage,” she said.

In addition to the ‘Grace Bikini Bottom’, Mckenz’s first drop unveils two bikini tops, the ‘Solene Suit’ one-piece, a pink towel, and a customisable 18k gold-plated bikini charm - a luxury accessory to any swimsuit.

Medhat also created the ‘GlowBottom’ just for teens as part of Mckenz’s focus on supporting young girls as they navigate puberty. Medhat published a puberty booklet in English inspired by the ones she read as a child, and is currently in the process of translating it into Arabic so that she can distribute it for free to underprivileged teenage girls across Egypt. 

As part of charitable organisation Goodness and Mercy's work, Medhat’s mother also addresses period poverty in Egypt through educational initiatives and distribution of sustainable, washable pads that she created herself. 20% of Mckenz’s profits go towards Goodness and Mercy’s awareness campaigns and free pad distribution. What’s more, Medhat and her mother are building a small factory to hire and train Egyptian women from low-income backgrounds to make sustainable menstruation products, providing them with a stable income.

“I would love to create a safe space for women across all classes,” she said of the brand’s larger goals.

On Mckenz’s Instagram reels, Medhat alluded to the story that inspired her to act, but she did not share the details. Now, she was ready to share.

On a trip led by Goodness and Mercy two years ago, one of the young girls got her period. 

“Her parents never educated her about periods whatsoever and they didn’t have enough money to buy pads,” Medhat explained. She watched the 11-year-old climb onto the roof of a building - she wanted to jump out of shame and fear. 

“This story stays with me as a call to educate teens,” Medhat said. “Their period is not something to be ashamed of.”

Mckenz is rooted in sustainability - in its physical product and in its social impact.

“To all the women who grew up in silence, not knowing what menstruation was, confused or ashamed or afraid to ask,” Medhat wrote to Mckenz customers. “You weren’t given the words, the knowledge, or the space. But today, you’re breaking that silence. You’re teaching your daughter what you were never taught. You’re turning that shame into strength, and fear into freedom. This is how the cycle ends - and a new one begins.”