Nicky Hilton Named Her New Bags After Famous Hotels (Hilton Not Included)
The hotel heiress/designer models a bag from the Nicky Hilton x Linea Pelle collection. Photo: Courtesy
Nicky Hilton wants you to know that she’s not interested in trends. That might sound like the antithesis of someone whose fashionable prowess has been publicly documented ever since she was a teenager, but alas. The 32-year-old’s newest handbag collaboration with Linea Pelle (she also designed a line for Japanese company Samantha Thavasa when she was 17) underscores this point.
“What I really had in mind was making classic, timeless bags that were practical and stylish and weren’t going to go out of style any time soon,” Hilton tells Yahoo Style about the accessories that range from $170 to $420 in price. “I wanted to veer away from any trendiness. That’s why I stuck with classic colors like black leather and leopard – we all know that leopard is never ever going out of style. I want these bags to be in your closet for years to come, not just be a one-season bag.”
Each handbag is named for Hilton’s favorite hotels (because, no, she does not stay in a Hilton when she travels). She christened them after spots like LA’s Chateau Marmont, London’s Claridge Hotel, and New York’s Bowery Hotel, although her absolute favorite spot, the Bel Air Hotel, did not receive a namesake bag. “I’m sort of obsessed with hotels,” she admits. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed.”
The Nicky Hilton x Linea Pelle Mercer tote, $420, lineapelle.com. Photo: Courtesy
As for her personal style, Hilton says that dressing up is the way to go. “For me, fashion is dressing up. I sort of have a uniform, which I alternate every day. It’s usually skinny jeans or leather pants with a sweater or a leather jacket, and ballet flats or motorcycle boots. It’s always a combination of those things. I know what I like. I wear everything from Versace to Topshop.”
The designer’s most memorable look? Her $77,000 custom Valentino wedding dress, which she wore to marry James Rothschild in July. “Again, I wanted to go classic and timeless,” she says. “Really traditional. I didn’t want to look back and have done some really trendy dress. I wanted to be traditional so I went with white lace and a veil. That is what I had imagined since I was a little girl. It came out exactly as I wanted. A lot of modern brides are doing different things. I went to a wedding recently and the bride was wearing pink. It was beautiful and people are doing all kinds of different things with their weddings now. And I wanted to look back at those photos and they could be from any era, just totally timeless.”
The gown, inspired by Hilton’s love for Grace Kelly, took a team of people create and deliver. “My wedding was in the middle of Valentino’s couture show,” Hilton recounts. “They had to send two seamstresses from Paris to sew me into the dress. They had to steam the veil properly. Couture is a different ballgame. I love the brand and I wear them all the time so it was only natural that they design my wedding dress. Valentino defines elegance and class.”
So where’s this magical dress now? “The saddest part of my wedding day was taking it off at the end of the night,” says Hilton. “It was the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. It’s now in a huge crate in my parents’ house. I think I have to get it professional stored and air-sealed. Maybe my daughter will wear it one day.”
In all her talk of timelessness and classic fashion, it seems only natural to ask Hilton what trend she absolutely hates. And for every Valentino couture wedding dress there is a pair of Birkenstock sandals. “I think they’re so hideous,” she says. “I don’t care how comfortable they are. They are not cute. They should be worn indoors only. They are so bad. And with socks? I can’t even handle that.”
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
