HELLO! Exclusive: Living the high life with Nicky Hilton Rothschild

When we meet Nicky Hilton Rothschild for her shoot, she is fresh from attending international fashion shows. “It was really fun being based here, and just being able to hop on a train, or take a quick flight to Milan and hang out with my sister,” says the designer, socialite and member of America’s famous Hilton family, who now lives in London with her husband, James Rothschild, and their three children.

Nicky, 42, and her elder sister Paris Hilton, 45, have always been close. “Now that we’re living on totally different sides of the world [Paris is based in Los Angeles], we don’t see each other as much. But when we do get together, we have the best time,” she tells HELLO!. “We had so much fun in Milan, hanging out in the hotel, ordering caprese salad and spaghetti bolognese on room service, and getting ready together for the Gucci show.”

It was her newly adopted home that hosted her favourite of the big fashion weeks in February. “I feel as though London still has that cool, energetic, rebellious energy,” she says, as we go ahead with our shoot in the spring sunshine, against the backdrop of landmarks, including the Tower of London and London Bridge. On London Fashion Week, Nicky adds: “Two of the highlights for me were Harris Reed and Annie’s Ibiza. They’re cool, unique brands with a unique perspective – original, creative and fun. They were on the same day, at two of my favourite locations: Claridge’s and Spencer House, where I had my welcome dinner for my wedding. It was fun to go back there.”

Nicky and her husband, British financier James Rothschild, 40, met at the wedding of Petra Ecclestone to businessman James Stunt in Rome in 2011. They married four years later in a fairytale ceremony at the Orangery in Kensington Palace Gardens, Nicky wearing a high-necked, long-sleeved Valentino Haute Couture gown with a dramatic train and a long veil. As the British banking scion tied the knot with a glamorous American hotel heiress, their wedding united two famous dynasties. The couple have three children: daughters Lily-Grace Victoria, 9, and Theodora “Teddy” Marilyn, 8, and a son, Chasen, 3. Although they have properties in New York, the family live in London. “It reminds me a lot of New York but without the frantic pace,” she says. “I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl, so I’ve always loved it.

“It’s nice for the children because my husband’s English, so we get to see their cousins and their grandmother, and enjoy more family time. 

“That’s been a lot of fun for them — learning about London, where their father grew up, going to the same parks he went to, and seeing his old school. It’s sweet.” She tells us her son has even started saying certain words in an English accent. “I’ve noticed he’s saying ‘water,’” she says, pronouncing a perfect hard T. The family are throwing themselves into British traditions, such as eating a full English breakfast, or classic Sunday roasts. “If you have any recommendations, send them my way!” she laughs. “My kids also really enjoy the museums here — we’ve been to the Science Museum a lot. They love Hamleys, of course, and the parks are stunning.”

A DEDICATED FOLLOWER OF FASHION

Although she has long been a regular on the front row at international fashion showcases, and has appeared in campaigns for fashion houses, including Valentino in 2020 alongside her sister Paris and their mother, Kathy Hilton, there’s one era Nicky would rather forget. “Probably the tanning-bed era,” she says. “When I look back at some of the photos, I was just… Very tanned! As someone who’s so conscious of my skin, and how I take care of it, I can’t believe I’d subject myself to that!”

Sunbeds aside, a sense of occasion, she says, ran in the family when it came to getting presentable. “Both my grandmothers always loved dressing up and always had beautiful makeup and jewellery. They were very glamorous.” Today, one of her style icons is the Princess of Wales. “She’s so beautiful and always looks so great. I love how she dresses her children, and I think she’s such a good role model. I’m a big fan.”

The co-founder of jewellery brand Theo Grace, launched last year and named after her daughters, Nicky has been interested in clothes since childhood. “I knew I wanted to do something in fashion. I loved sneaking into my mom’s closet, and watch her get ready — picking the outfit, the jewellery, the handbag, and accessories. I was always a girly girl. I loved dressing up.”

“My jewellery brand stems from my obsession with personalisation; most items are customisable. In the past, I’ve done lots of collaborations with brands [Rebecca Vallance, French Sole], but this is the first time where I’m an owner, which is exciting.”

“Some of our top sellers are the personalised necklace nameplates. Then we have lockets, where you can upload your favourite photo, and engrave a special message. Our current top seller is the Coco [photo] ring, where you upload your pet to your ring, which is sweet. People love showing off their animals; pets are our family,” says Nicky, for whom running a brand fits well with family life. “I travel for work, but now I try to carve it out so that the children can come with me. I’m going to China at the end of the month. As it happens to be a long weekend, I’m going to take my eldest daughter because her dream trip is China. We’re going a day early for some sightseeing. I’ll take her around Shanghai.”

“I went to Paris recently, when they had a half-day of school, so I took them with me. My daughters are now at an age where they’re understanding things, and getting inputs from them, and seeing their enthusiasm and excitement is incredibly sweet.”

MOTHER’S LOVE

Nicky also has a strong relationship with her own mother, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kathy.

“My mom is one of my best friends. She’s the funniest person in the world. We’ve just shot a project in London, which I can’t talk about yet, but it will be coming out in the spring,” she says. “It was so much fun! We were laughing that if we were in school together, they’d separate us because we laugh too much, and are so silly with each other. But we also have the same taste, the same aesthetic, the same vibe, so working together is always a joy.” Growing up in the Waldorf Astoria New York in the ‘80s, Nicky and Paris were nicknamed the “Eloises,” a reference to Kay Thompson’s popular children’s books and their main character, a young girl named Eloise who lived at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan.

This experience is one of many scenes beautifully illustrated on a French toile print that Nicky has produced as part of a 21-piece collection with luxury childrenswear brand La Coqueta. The autobiographical panels tell the story of her life, with a different chapter sketched on each panel of the material.

“We highlight some milestones, and special moments. It’s subtle, but if you look closely, you’ll see everything.”

During her childhood, her family taught Nicky, Paris and their younger brothers, Barron Hilton II, 36, and Conrad Hughes Hilton, 32, about the importance of helping others. “My parents, since we were very young, took us to the Union Rescue Mission [homeless shelter] in Los Angeles to serve lunch and give out gifts, and the same at Thanksgiving. It’s always been instilled in us, and I like to do the same with my children.”

“I’m very involved with the Hilton Foundation,” she adds of the family’s charity, which tackles issues like homelessness, food security, and human rights. “My great‑grandfather Conrad [Hilton, who founded the hotel chain in 1919] has been a huge inspiration. He believed that giving back was a moral obligation and a responsibility, so I grew up seeing philanthropy as a natural part of life.” Holidaying is another family tradition, and her ultimate happy place is the sun‑soaked island of Maui in the Hawaiian archipelago, which is also depicted on the toile.

“Growing up, we went there every Christmas. You step off the plane and it smells like the ocean and the beach,” reminisces Nicky, who spent her next holiday in the English countryside at her sister‑in‑law’s place, “for a big Easter‑egg hunt with all the children.” “We dressed them all up in the new collection and ate delicious food — just hanging out, relaxing and enjoying family time.”

LOCATION COURTESY: FOUR SEASONS HOTEL  
LONDON TOWER BRIDGE  
HAIR: CHARLEY McEWEN AT THE ONLY AGENCY 
MAKEUP: RACHEL SINGER CLARK AT THE ONLY AGENCY  
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: @NICKYHILTON, GETTY IMAGES 
PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: OLIVER WEBB 
STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: OLIVIA SIMMONS

This story was featured in the Vol 1. Issue 9 of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.