11 February 2026

Nailympia Competitions exists to celebrate excellence, afford opportunity, fuel creativity and showcase prowess within the professional nail industry. Since 2005, it has been providing a platform for recognition – of both competitors and judges – while nurturing the next generation of industry talent.

As an organisation, we want to address social media discussion regarding alleged copying and nail design ownership at Nailympia Anaheim 1-2 February 2026, and provide a clear and factual statement of Nailympia’s judging process, protocols and position.

When a concern regarding copying of two nail designs was raised during the two-day competition, via a nail artist not competing in the event on social media, the Nailympia team responded immediately. A meeting was called on Monday 2 February to discuss: attended by the organiser, head judge and three judges, who each boast a minimum of 25 years’ nail industry experience. The panel carefully documented, reviewed and discussed the competition entry, alongside the complainant’s reference images from December 2025. This comparison was conducted in detail, examining each element closely and objectively, while dissecting the issue raised.

Following full scrutiny, the judges reached a unanimous decision that the entry was not a direct copy or replica, although they did acknowledge similarities. In line with Runway Nails scoring criteria, points were deducted under the appropriate field - Originality - and no disqualification was issued.

The first nail design was also found to be at the centre of a video sourced from Asia and depicted the 'peppermint nail design', which has no known ownership and comes under the heading of 'general concepts/ideas'. This is in contrast to, for example, a unique character, complex pattern or highly detailed painting – which are easier to attribute to an artist and as such, may be protected by copyright.

During wider research, comparable versions of the second design were found publicly across the internet, and a key component used in its construction was found to be commercially available, enabling similar nails to be created quickly and widely. As a result, it was not possible to verify a single point of design ownership for that specific element.

As an impartial organiser, it is critical that Nailympia remains neutral and evidence-led throughout any competition eventuality. After returning to the UK office, Nailympia contacted the Nailympia Anaheim competitor to provide their account. This step extended the investigation, but ensured it was thorough and fair, yet unfortunately a narrative was already underway on social media that did not present all perspectives or evidence. The competitor stated the designs were created during 2020, and provided two date-stamped images that were filed on their computer on June 21, 2022. These feature the designs questioned in the background and supported the competitor's timeline of creation. This proves beyond reasonable doubt that they had created versions of the nails presented in the Runway Nails category at Nailympia Anaheim 2026 at least three years prior to the complainant’s post of their nail designs on Instagram.

We recognise that the organiser, partner brand, judges and competitor have been subjected to intense public scrutiny and that the nature of online commentary has caused genuine distress. We do not condone harassment, victimisation or the targeting of individuals – whether competitors, judges or any member of our professional community. We also ask that private correspondence is treated responsibly and not shared publicly out of context.

We wish this matter had been allowed to conclude fully through Nailympia’s established protocols before being amplified online. The seriousness of the accusations has required significant time, additional consultation and extended meetings to ensure due diligence.

To be clear: we do not believe the work in question was copied and the judges did not find evidence of a replica or rule breach. However, we also wish to state unequivocally that Nailympia does not encourage copying and acknowledges that the broader issue of creative ownership within nail art is complex, evolving and deserving of an industry-wide conversation.

Nailympia regularly reviews and updates its rules in response to feedback, changing industry standards, emerging trends and challenges. The team is open to continued dialogue and will consider whether clearer guidance should be introduced around inspiration, originality and design ownership, to ensure that competitors, judges and nail artists continue to be supported fairly and consistently. Nailympia and its brand partners will continue to champion nail artists' work, style, creative expression and promote the use of artist credit.

Our priority remains the same: to protect the integrity of competition, uphold professional standards and foster a respectful, supportive industry for all.

The Nailympia Competitions Organisation