The native German left the Pestalozzi Gymnasium, high school of the Performing Arts of Munich, with a major of Latin and Art, to then study piano and trombone at the Music Conservatory of Munich. In 1988 Nicki moved to New York City to become a makeup artist. Starting out in print, runway shows and music videos, she quickly moved on to design makeup for independent movies, (e.g. Palookaville, Happiness, Jesus' Son) TV (e.g. Sex And The City) and then high profile studio pictures (e.g. The Devil Wears Prada, P.S. I Love You, Enchanted). She also works as a personal makeup artist request on movies and publicity campaigns (e.g. Sarah Jessica Parker, Brittany Murphy, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway). Nicki is a two-time Emmy nominee for her work on Sex and the City, for which she also won the Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards in 2004. In 2006 she was honored for her achievements at the Gala "Designing Hollywood" by "New York Women In Film and Television". In 2007 Nicki was nominated for a BAFTA (British Academy Awards) for "The Devil Wears Prada".