Competitors From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
11 Nailympia Competitor
Deborah Cocco
Italy
Academy| Influencer| Online training| Salon
Area of competition expertise: Structure
Years competiting: 8
Number of Nailympia events competed at: 11
Nailympia events competed at: London, Germany, Orlando, Anaheim, San Antonio, Online
Divisions awarded medals in: Division 3
Are you an educator?: Yes
Have you been a judge?: Yes
Why did you choose to join the Nailympia circuit?: I chose to join the Nailympia circuit because I’ve always considered it a very serious & prestigious competition, capable of offering great opportunities for competitors.
What has winning at Nailympia done for your career & confidence?: Personally, thanks to the results I achieved at Nailympia, I’ve been able to reach many countries around the world. In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach abroad & above all, these accomplishments have opened the door to many more professional opportunities in different parts of the world.
Beyond that, one very important thing is that through the experience I’ve gained from competing & preparing for competitions, I’ve improved exponentially as a professional & as a nail artist & consequently, as an educator. All of these experiences have helped me grow in every possible way.
Industry accolades: I have won over 80 trophies at Nailympia competitions worldwide.
Among these, I hold nine 'Winner of Winners' titles, one in Division 2 (in 2017) & eight in Division 3, all achieved within just two years.
Most of these are first place awards & in 2025 alone I earned five 'Top Overall Scorer' titles.
I have also won the European Cup twice (in 2023 & 2025), the American Premiere Cup (2025) & finally, in October 2025, I achieved the World Cup title.
In addition, my team & I have been honoured five times with the Team Trophy for Best Team, all within just three years.
Favourite nail brands: Stay tuned… (🤭)
Career biography: I am 28 years old & live in Italy. I am the founder of DECO Academy, my physical academy & Nailearn, my online academy.
I discovered my passion for the nail industry at the age of 12, driven by an innate enthusiasm that has never left me.
At just 20 years old, in 2017, I began competing & since then, I have never stopped.
Today, I train hundreds of students every year, both at my academy in Italy & around the world.
Teaching is what I love most about my work: seeing my students grow, improve & achieve their goals is my greatest satisfaction.
Personal biography: I’ve been with Mattia for 15 years; he’s my greatest support in life & work, always pushing me to grow. We love the mountains, nature & our two whippets, Joker & Harley, who fill our lives with joy. I’m not into nightlife… I prefer a good movie or a quiet walk. I love eating (not cooking!) & I enjoy photography, dancing & singing!
Why you believe in nail competitions?: I love competitions & I love bringing my students to compete because I believe it is the best way to grow as professionals & to keep giving more value to our industry.
Advice to other competitors: Compete for yourself, not to prove something to others. Do it with the right motivation & you’ll see that you’ll always achieve what you truly desire. Be objective & always respect & appreciate one another as competitors… mutual respect is what truly keeps this industry growing.
Nail work
