'I do a lot of research on fishes and other aquatic animals in terms of their colours, body patterns, fluke and fin shapes,' says Hanim, who has a background in biology. Photo: Hanim Pahron
In Disney’s classic film, The Little Mermaid, Ariel sings the memorable line, “I want to be where the people are”.
For Hanim Pahron, a mermaid tail artist and graphic designer, the opposite rings true.
“As much as I love the movie, I couldn’t relate to Ariel wanting to become a human – I wanted to become a mermaid!” says Hanim in a recent poolside interview at her apartment in Selayang, Selangor.
Known online by her “mersona” (mermaid persona) Mermaid Hunny, Hanim got into the art of “mermaiding” out of a desire to feel free and at peace.
“With conventional swimming, you just move from point A to point B. But with mermaiding, it’s how you feel as you move through the water, how you express yourself through your body,” she says.
“That feeling of freedom and tranquility is indescribable.”
Hanim first got into mermaiding about two years ago during lockdown, as she was teaching her son how to swim in her apartment complex’s swimming pool.
“I wanted to show you where I got my start as a mermaid,” she says, gesturing towards the small pool.
'It’s fun to create your own mersona, so there’s no need to follow what everyone else is doing, just express your true self,' says Hanim. Photo: Hanim Pahron
It didn’t look like much, but in the videos she posts to her Instagram account, the pools Hanim swim in transform into ethereal underwater realms as she twists and turns gracefully through the water.
Once Hanim decided to give mermaiding a go, she did her research and bought the equipment she needed: a monofin and weights to prevent her from floating to the surface. From there, she trained every day until she was confident in her movements.
Then came the time to purchase a mermaid fin.
The United States is home to the largest mermaid community, and while there are plenty of options to choose from, cost can be a barrier.
According to Hanim, mermaid tails can retail from US$300 (RM1,402) all the way to a whopping US$5,000 (RM23,372).
Fabric tails are on the cheaper end of the spectrum, while silicone tails are more expensive.
“US-made tails were too expensive, and I couldn’t find anything locally that suited me, which made me think to myself, ‘Why not design my own line of mermaid tails?’.”
A recent koi fish tail design, which Hanim referenced a koi fish breed with black body and vibrant red patterns. Photo: Hanim Pahron
Once she found a tail maker that was open to printing her designs, Hanim got to work. It helped that she has over 12 years of experience in digital art and graphic design.
“I could spend hours and hours doing research and working on my designs,” she says. Her designs are printed on polyspandex, said to be one of the best materials for swimwear.
“It’s durable, quick to dry, lightweight so that it’s easy to bring along when travelling, and machine washable,” she explains.
Hanim started designing tails for herself and her friends, so that she could create prototypes and test out the designs. Now, she is preparing to open an online catalogue, which she named "House of Duyung Couture", that will offer a selection of designs starting at US$180 (RM843).
“In the mermaiding community, there’s no room for mistakes, especially if you have customers from overseas. I’m the only one in Malaysia offering mermaid tail designs in this format (a catalogue of designs rather than on commission basis), so I wanted to take my time and get it right.”
So far, Hanim has 22 completed designs, and aims to have at least 50 available when she launches later this year.
“The designs will be made to order, and if clients need the sizing customised, I can do that at no additional cost.”
Hanim is planning to finish designing 50 mermaid tails this year. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
So where does she get inspiration from for her mermaid tail designs? Her background in biology (she did her degree at Universiti Putra Malaysia) likely plays a role.
“I do a lot of research on fishes and other aquatic animals in terms of their colours, body patterns, fluke and fin shapes. Then I incorporate these elements into the tail designs, while adding some bits of my own imagination and creativity,” she says.
However, Hanim adds that some of the most interesting designs - for mermaids and mermen - that she’s come up with came purely from her own imagination.
“These ideas just pop inside my head from time to time, or derived from some random things I saw. Then I will start building the design layer by layer, adding details as I move along, until I finally achieve the design that I had initially envisioned,” she says.
Colour schemes also play a major part in whether a design works or not.
“I have to consider if the colours will stand out when worn by the mermaids when they take videos or photos underwater. For example, red will look like black under low light conditions, while yellow will stand out the best in any lighting condition.”
Ultimately, Hanim is filled with “pride and satisfaction” when she sees people swimming in her finished products.
Thanks to the recent release of the live-action movie The Little Mermaid, there’s never been a more perfect time to get into mermaiding.
'Midnight Flame' is Hanim's dedication to all the daring, fierce and ferocious mermen out there, who add wonderful, courageous vibes into the 'mer' community. Photo: Hanim Pahron
“The need to have a good and reasonably priced tail has increased, so I hope to cater to that market. The tails I make are easy to maintain and just nice for beginners,” says Hanim.
She adds it’s easy to tell where a mermaid tail originated from: the size of their fluke (the large fin at the end of the mermaid tail).
“US mermaids tend to prefer smaller flukes, as it keeps them agile in the water, while Asian mermaids like very big, showy flukes,” she says.
Personally, Hanim prefers a happy middle, which is reflected in her artful designs.
“Mermaids come in all shapes and sizes. So if it’s something you’d like to try, go for it!” she says.
Hanim adds that it’s important to know what you want when you get into mermaiding, whether it’s just a hobby or something more.
“It’s fun to create your own mersona, so there’s no need to follow what everyone else is doing, just express your true self.”
