MILAN — Hilton matriarch Kathy Hilton’s family is growing and her Bel Air home is often full of babies, toddlers and pets. When a cousin told Hilton and her daughter Nicky Hilton Rothschild about a washable rug, they said they couldn’t believe it. “I’ve never heard of anything like that,” Nicky Hilton told WWD in a mother-daughter, coast-to-coast Zoom call.
On Wednesday, in the intimacy of their Bel Air family home, Kathy and Nicky Hilton will unveil a capsule collection with Ruggable in which they infused their signature gilded American touch. The collection officially launched Tuesday. “We should do cheese sandwiches, a little lemonade, iced tea, some pastry. You want the table to look pretty,” enthused Kathy Hilton, who just unveiled a salvaged lab-created diamond jewelry collection with Anna Zuckerman last week.
Titled Ruggable x The Hiltons, the collection combines the Hiltons’ lavish and tasteful eye for design with the livable functionality of Ruggable rugs. “Inspired by the Hiltons and their love of entertaining, this collection makes it easier than ever to create a chic space perfect for hosting. And, thanks to Ruggable’s signature washability, you can now entertain in the home worry-free from stains and spills,” the company said. Nicky Hilton, a fashion designer and entrepreneur, agreed, “I have an antique rug in my living room, and, you know, I have three pets, three young children… needless to say, that’s had lots of wear and tear. And I was going to bring it in to get cleaned… the cleaning of the rug was more expensive than the rug,” she commented.
The collection includes a variety of models inspired by the family’s homes, including the legendary Waldorf Astoria New York that will re-open by the end of the year. “I had some of the happiest times in my life,” reminisced Kathy Hilton, recalling how much of a dream it was when she worked there as a newlywed and moved in. The Hiltons Flora Ink, The Hiltons Montecito, The Hiltons Encatada, The Hiltons Diana Trellis, The Hiltons Chrysler Border, The Hiltons Bryants, The Hiltons Brooklawn, The Hiltons Bel Air, The Hiltons Astoria offer a glimpse into the family’s itinerant lifestyle.
Kathy Hilton said one of her favorites is the Chrysler rug, because from the family’s’ living room in the Waldorf Towers, they had a perfect view of the Chrysler building. Brooklawn, Nicky Hilton said, was her grandfather’s home, a hub for family holidays. The collection consists of 10 rugs in Flatwoven and Tufted styles. Each rug will be available in various sizes on Ruggable.com, starting at $119.
“Kathy and Nicky Hilton are tastemakers in every aspect of their life. They have a feminine style and aesthetic which their fans love and naturally translates into beautiful rug designs,” said Ruggable’s chief marketing officer Jenna Habayeb.
This could be just the beginning of a foray into the home sector for Kathy and Nicky Hilton. “We love entertaining. So tabletop, definitely. And the home in general… Linens. Tabletop is definitely something that we both have a passion for,” Nicky Hilton reflected. “It’s really been our dream,” mused Kathy Hilton, hinting that the duo were already in talks with investors on expanding, adding, “We always are going back and forth sharing, you know, DMs about a beautiful china or beautiful table or outdoor furniture, whatever it has to do with the home. We’re always on the same page,” Kathy Hilton said of her daughter.
Nicky Hilton turns the screen on and her 2-year-old is running down a long corridor, showing off the runners in her house in the NoHo district and a cat asleep on the windowsill overlooking the New York skyline. Kathy Hilton is also taking us through her exquisite sitting rooms of her Bel Air home, where the California sun is shining. One can’t help but notice a baby carriage parked in the breakfast room.
Her other daughter, new mom Paris Hilton, has also been busy expanding her empire. Her next-gen media company, 11:11 Media, teamed up last year with Walmart to exclusively launch her Be An Icon collection of cookware, bakeware, serve ware, cutlery, drink ware and accessories.
Kathy Hilton said one thing she really loves is a decoration project, even after a lifetime of moving houses every five years.
“For some people that stresses them out; I love nothing more than going shopping, going to the Pacific Design Center and looking for fabrics and carpets and tailoring… I’m a chair nut. I love collecting chairs,” she enthused, adding she has a closet filled with pillows for spring and velvets to create a new feeling in all of her homes.
