Page 125 - Q01-2021 Fins Magazine

vv
merman nico

BY RACHEL SMADJA
@MERMAID.RACHEL89

Nicolas Plettenbacher is 17 years old and lives Mermaid Lexie, owners of Odycea Studios, for
in Austria with his parents and two brothers. their beautiful artistry.
He has been a merman for ten years.
“Their tails and their accessories are pure
His merman journey started when he was just works of art. I was speechless when I won
seven years old and wanted his first mermaid the contest. One day I hope to become a
tail. His parents told him he was too young for professional tail designer and make custom
a tail and since he was still growing it would tails for mermaid and mermen just like
be a “waste of money”. Odycea.”

He continued to plead his case for 7 years, Some of his favorite mermaid tails are made
never giving up on his dream and finally by Finfolk, Dmitry Arts, Creature Fins, Odycea
convinced his parents to get him a monofin. Studios and Merbella Studios.

A monofin is not a mermaid tail. It is only A big factor in Nico being able to pursue his
the lower fin portion, but Nico was excited mermaid dream was the absolute support of
because he knew that he could make a his family. He also looked to the community
mermaid tail from fabric that incorporated his and found ‘amazing’ people.
new monofin.
“The mermaid community is for everyone,
Nico got to work on his mermaid tail with no matter your age, size, color, orientation
the family sewing machine, but before he or gender… isn’t that what mermaiding is all
could finish, the sewing machine broke. He about, acceptance?”
convinced his grandmother to let him use her
machine and finally finished his tail. Nico’s passion for mermaids, his
determination to build his mer-dreams and
“My self-made fabric tail has all its scales hard work to make his mermaid tail is an
individually sewn and is inspired by ‘Fish inspirational story we can all learn from.
Tales!’” Nico said in his interview.

He is now making a new mermaid tail and You can learn more about Merman Nico in
says “I am obsessed with making my newest our interview on the Fins Magazine YouTube
tail. One day, I will take my dream mermaid channel.
vacations to Hawaii, Thailand, Belgium and
the Bahamas.”

Nico has started making merman accessories,
illustrations and drawings. Inspired by Merman Nico
Odycea Studios when he won a prize in their @merman.nico
giveaway, he looks up to Mermaid Celine and

124 125