Nicky Hilton Rothschild at 40: a look back at the former Tatler cover girl’s most stylish, career-defining, head-turning fashion moments

From party girl to society queen, here is Nicky Hilton Rothschild’s life in pictures

8 October 2023

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: Nicky Hilton is seen in NoHo on September 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)Gotham

This week, Nicholai ‘Nicky’ Olivia Hilton Rothschild turned 40. The younger Hilton sister has been many things in her lifetime; a fixture on the international party scene, a fashion and jewellery designer, a model and an entrepreneur. A hotel heiress by birth, she affirmed her status as a society darling through her marriage into the Rothschild clan and she even, of course, landed an iconic ‘Dynasties’ Tatler cover back in 2019 opposite Sabine Getty. As she celebrates her milestone, Tatler looks back on the stylish life of Mrs Hilton Rothschild.

Donaldson Collection/Getty Images
1/40
The Other Hilton Girl
A young Nicky Hilton is picture perfect in blue, pictured with her mother, Kathy Hilton, and older sister Paris.
Ron Galella/Getty Images
2/40
Her First Catwalk
She started young. Seen here with her sister Paris, mother Kathy, and father Richard Hilton at the 6th Annual Celebrity Mother-Daughter Fashion Show in Beverly Hills, 1987.
Steve.Granitz
3/40
Pretty in Pink
A young Nicky is the image of 1980's confectionary as she poses with her family, including aunt, and future Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards.
Ron Galella/Getty Images
4/40
A Brit at Heart
A sure sign that Nicky's destiny lay with a British beau was surely this early display of patriotism at the CFDA awards in 2000.

Arnaldo Magnani
5/40
Sister Sister
An early shot of the Hilton sisters in matching outfits on their way to P Diddy's fashion show in 2001. The pair would become a notorious party scene double act.
Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images
6/40
Please Look After This Heiress
Nicky does her chicest Paddington Bear impression in this periwinkle blue duffel coat as she walks through New York with Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson.
Victor VIRGILE/Getty Images
7/40
Model Behaviour
The Hilton girls hit the runway for Lloyd Klein's FW 2002 show. The designer is currently the fiancé of Jocelyn Wildenstein.
Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
8/40
Party People
The sisters out on the town with childhood friends Todd Meister and Alexandre von Furstenberg in 2001.

Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
9/40
A Fleeting Romance
Hilton embraces her childhood friend, American businessman Todd Meister, at a party at the Hilton Residence at the Waldorf-Astoria in 2001. The pair would later wed in Las Vegas ‘on a whim’ in 2004, with the marriage annulled three months later.
Jeff Kravitz
10/40
Double Act
The Hilton sisters put their best Y2K layered-tanks forward at an LA club opening in 2003.
Matthew Peyton/Getty Images
11/40
Blonde Ambition
Nicky and sister Paris hit the red carpet for the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
12/40
Neon Nepo Babies
Nicky dons her best fluorescent hues and joins heiress Casey Johnson and her older sister Paris's The Simple Life partner-in-crime, Nicole Richie, at a Christian Dior party in New York, 2003.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
13/40
Y2K Queens
Could there be a more noughties fashion moment than Nicky and Paris's chaotic combination of fishnets, denim, hot pink, bowling bags and baker-boy caps at the Teen People party in 2003?
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
14/40
Brunette Benefits
Nicky joins the dark side and goes for raven locks in 2005, seen here with sister Paris at a record label charity event.
Toni Anne Barson Archive
15/40
Psst!
Nicky spills all the tea, with sister Paris at a party in 2005.
Gregg DeGuire
16/40
Think Pink
Nicky Hilton is a Barbie dream girl at the Oscar's after party in 2005.

Chris Weeks
17/40
What Happens in Vegas
The iconic Hilton sisters see the new year in in style, with a party in Las Vegas in 2007.
Laurent SOLA/Getty Images
18/40
Beach Babes
Nicky hits Nikki Beach in St Tropez with her older sister Paris in 2010.
Paul Zimmerman
19/40
Check Mate
It's a preppy take for Nicky during New York Fashion Week in 2013.
Papjuice/Bauer-Griffin
20/40
Festival Darlings
You truly couldn't call yourself a celebrity in the 2010s if you weren't at Coachella. Nicky attends here in 2015, in white lace and mirrored Aviators.

Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle
21/40
Here Comes the Bride
Nicky Hilton officially becomes Mrs Hilton Rothschild as she marries her partner of four years, James Rothschild in London in 2015, wearing custom-made Valentino.
Michael Loccisano/amfAR/Getty Images
22/40
Costume Drama
A pregnant Nicky Hilton Rothschild squeezes her bump into a leopard print costume for the 2017 amfAR & The Naked Heart Foundation Fabulous Fund Fair.
Matthew Sperzel/Getty Images
23/40
Style Icon
In natutical stripes and an eye-catching pillar-box red blazer, Nicky is a chic vision during 2018 New York Fashion Week, while waiting for the Oscar de la Renta show.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images
24/40
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery
Who better to dress as for Halloween than your own sister? Nicky recreate's Paris's iconic 21st birthday look when attending a Casamigos Halloween party in 2018.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
25/40
Princess Pink
Another rosy dream of a dress from Valentino fan Nicky in 2018.
CJ Rivera/Getty Images
26/40
She'll Always have Paris
The iconic duo step out for New York Fashion Week in 2019, in complementary monochrome looks.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
27/40
Brand Loyalty
Valentino has a loyal devotee in their bridal client Mrs Hilton Rothschild, seen here attending their FW collection in 2019.
Kristy Sparow/Getty Images
28/40
Eternal Chic
Nicky poses up a storm in a chic, off-the-shoulder cocktail dress, with Elizabeth Sulcer at the Souraya x Vogue Arabia Dinner and runway show in Paris, 2019.

29/40
Tatler Cover Girl
Nicky joins Sabine Getty for an undisputed career highlight in 2019.
Taylor Hill
30/40
The Happy Couple
Donning disco ball chic with her husband, James Rothschild, at the Oscar's after party in 2020.
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
31/40
Seeing Red
Backstage at The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection 2020, with her sister Paris.
Gotham
32/40
Mommy Dearest
Styling out the pandemic's essential accessory, Nicky steps out in 2020 with her daughter in New York wearing an elevated casual look, with neon Chanel accents.

Gotham
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Family Matters
James and Nicky seen out in New York with daughters Teddy and Lily-Grace.
Kevin Mazur
34/40
Glowing Goddess
A heavily pregnant Nicky goes full Old Hollywood as she attends the Oscars in 2022 in shimmering, feather-trimmed pink.
Gotham
35/40
Boho Bump
What to expect when you're expecting? A stunning loose maxi dress in shades of blue of course.
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin
36/40
Minty Fresh
A joyous injection of pastel sequins is the order of the day for Mrs Hilton Rothschild while out and about in New York in 2022.

Gotham
37/40
Bah Humbug
Could there be anything more timelessly stylish than Nicky's monochrome-striped shirt dress?
Raymond Hall
38/40
Mini Me
The school run has never looked so good.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
39/40
Grown Up Barbie
Jut a hint of pink proves Nicky is the shrewdest adopteé of Barbiecore, at the Versace show in 2023.
Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
40/40
Queen of Fashion Week
There was a collective gasp when Nicky Hilton Rothschild stepped out in this arresting Schiaparelli look at Paris Fashion Week this year. No notes.