Let’s be real for a second. Most reality TV couples have the shelf life of an open avocado. You watch them on a Sunday night, convinced they’re soulmates, and by Thursday, they’ve deleted every trace of each other from Instagram.
But then there’s Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen.
If you followed Love Island USA Season 7, you know the drill. They weren’t the couple anyone expected on day one. Honestly, they weren’t even the couple anyone expected by day twenty. But as we head into 2026, the duo—affectionately dubbed "Nicolandria" by a fan base that is, frankly, a little obsessed—is still very much a thing.
They’ve moved past the Fiji sunsets and the scripted challenges. Now, they're navigating the much weirder world of New York Fashion Week, brand deals, and the kind of intense internet scrutiny that would make most of us want to throw our phones into the ocean.
The Slow Burn Nobody Saw Coming
Nic and Olandria didn’t start with a spark. It was more like a damp match.
When they first entered the villa, they were essentially ships passing in the night. Olandria, the 27-year-old elevator specialist from Alabama (yeah, you read that right, she literally fixes elevators), was initially coupled up with Taylor Williams. Meanwhile, Nic, a nursing graduate and model from Florida, was tangled in a messy triangle involving Cierra Ortega.
The pivot happened late. It was a "secret admirer" situation, according to Nic. He later admitted to People that he had his eye on Olandria from the jump, but the villa's weird social hierarchy kept them apart.
That Soul Ties Kiss
Everything changed after that one kiss in Soul Ties. You remember it—the one that had the Twitter (or X, whatever) timelines absolutely losing it.
The twist? They both tried to act like it didn't happen. Olandria has been very vocal about the "girl code" guilt she felt. Because she was friends with Cierra, she tried to suppress the connection.
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"I didn’t allow myself to feel that spark," she told reporters. It’s kinda refreshing, actually. Usually, on these shows, people are ready to burn friendships to the ground for five minutes of screen time. Olandria actually cared.
Life After the Villa: More Than Just "Influencing"
A lot of people think these two just walked out of the show and started selling hair gummies.
Not really.
They’ve actually become a bit of a fixture in the high-fashion world. If you saw the Sergio Hudson Spring/Summer 2026 show, you saw Olandria strutting down the runway like she’d been doing it for a decade. And there was Nic, front row, grinning like a proud stage dad.
They’re doing the "power couple" thing, but it feels less corporate than usual. They’ve done the coordinated looks—like that maroon Bronx and Banco moment—but they also talk openly about how hard the transition has been.
The Struggles of "Going Public"
It hasn’t all been champagne and red carpets. The internet is a dark place.
Recently, the couple has had to deal with some pretty heavy stuff. There were rumors about Nic—standard "he’s cheating" TikTok fodder—that led to some of their more intense fans (stans, if we’re being honest) doxxing a creator.
It got messy.
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They’ve also had to answer for Nic’s past social media activity, which resurfaced and caused a lot of friction within the fan base. People have questioned how a Black woman from the South and a guy with Nic's specific political and social media history make it work.
They don't really give us the "perfect" answer, and maybe that’s why people are still interested. It’s complicated. Life is complicated.
Why the "Nicolandria" Brand Actually Works
So, why are we still talking about them in 2026?
- The Contrast: She’s a Gemini from Alabama who worked a blue-collar job. He’s a male model/nurse from Florida.
- The Timing: They found each other when they were both "back-ups" for other people. Everyone loves an underdog story.
- The Style: Let's be honest—they look incredible together. Whether it's a Glamour cover or a random Snapchat story, they have a visual chemistry that brands would kill for.
They’ve even started collaborating on business ventures, like their swimwear line with Kulani Kinis. It’s a smart move. Transitioning from "reality stars" to "business owners" is the only way to stay relevant once the next season of Love Island drops and everyone moves on to the new cast.
What Really Happened With the Cierra Drama?
You can't talk about Nic and Olandria without mentioning Cierra Ortega.
Cierra’s exit from the show was... abrupt. Let’s put it that way. When she left, the path cleared for Olandria, but it left a bad taste in some people's mouths. Cierra later posted videos implying that Nic never actually liked her and was just waiting for Olandria the whole time.
Nic’s response? He basically took it on the chin. He told Keke Palmer on her podcast that it made him "uncomfortable" but he wasn't going to bash her back.
It’s a rare moment of maturity in a world that usually thrives on "receipts" and "tea."
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Practical Takeaways for the "Nicolandria" Obsessed
If you’re trying to keep up with them, or if you’re just wondering how to navigate your own high-profile (okay, maybe just "profile") relationship, here’s what we can learn from their 2025/2026 run:
1. Don't rush the label
They refused to call each other boyfriend/girlfriend for weeks after the show. In a world of "instant" everything, taking time to actually date in the real world is probably why they’re still together while other couples have flamed out.
2. Protect your peace
Olandria has mentioned that they’ve had to pull back on how much they share. If the comments are getting toxic, close the app. It’s that simple (and that hard).
3. Lean into your own lane
Olandria isn't just "Nic’s girlfriend." She’s walking New York Fashion Week. She’s building a brand that exists even if the relationship doesn’t. That’s the key to surviving the reality TV machine.
4. Acknowledge the messy parts
They haven't pretended that the transition was easy or that their pasts don't exist. They’re navigating the friction in real-time, which, love them or hate them, is a lot more human than a curated PR statement.
The reality is that Nic and Olandria are likely going to keep "shaking the room," as they like to say. Whether they’re on the cover of Glamour or just posting a random TikTok from a hot air balloon date, they’ve managed to turn a reality TV fluke into a legitimate career.
If you want to keep tabs on their next move, keep an eye on the Spring/Summer fashion circuits and Olandria’s increasingly influential TikTok. They aren't just Islanders anymore; they’re a blueprint for how to handle "post-villa" life without losing your mind—or each other.
To stay updated on their latest brand collaborations or fashion week appearances, you can follow their official social media channels or check out the latest features in L'Officiel and Glamour, where they frequently share updates on their relationship milestones and professional projects. Watching how they handle the upcoming year will be the real test of whether "Nicolandria" is a permanent fixture or a passing trend.