Nicky Hilton Rothschild Is Breaking Into the Jewelry Business

Nicky Hilton Rothschild is getting into jewelry — and for her, it’s personal.

The multihyphenate is launching Theo Grace, a customizable jewelry brand that ranges in price from $110 to $750 and spans necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings that can be accented with names, monograms and photos.

Theo Grace will first launch on its website Tuesday.

“I have an obsession with personalization, customization, monogramming, and I’ve loved making customized gifts for my friends and family since I was a little girl,” Hilton Rothschild said of how she first identified the opportunity for custom pieces at a friendly price point. “I used to work with a jeweler in Los Angeles. It would take a long time, it was very expensive.”

The name comes from those of Hilton Rothschild’s daughters, Theodora and Lily Grace. The consumer base is expected to be half male, so “I wanted to make sure the brand name was not too feminine,” Hilton Rothschild said.

She took a jewelry design course about a decade ago, and said it’s a very different medium from designing footwear. “I’ve been doing shoes for the past few years, and that can be hard with sizing and gifting,” she said. “But everyone loves jewelry, especially customized and personalized jewelry. I don’t think there’s a better gift than a one-of-a-kind, custom, bespoke piece of jewelry just for you. Nothing says ‘I care’ more.”

Hilton Rothschild’s design ethos is about versatility and wearability, and she set out to create pieces that could transition from day to night with ease. She will be launching two collections per year, with the next slated for holiday. She isn’t confining herself just to jewelry, though.

“I definitely plan on expanding Theo Grace. I think it could be an incredible destination for people to come for all things personalized, and we could maybe expand from jewelry,” she said.

As for how she’s evaluating new opportunities, “I have only ever worked with brands that I actually wear. The French Sole collaboration was very organic,” she said, noting she first discovered the brand as a student in New York and became a client before collaborating. “I’ve been doing it for seven years now, but I collaborate and work with brands that I love and wear. It’s not about slapping my name on anything that doesn’t excite or interest me.”

She expects the locket to be a top seller, and she draws inspiration from a list of designers that have a clear hero strategy. “Look at someone like Ralph Lauren, who, yes, everything he’s touched to gold — the home market, children’s, fragrance,” she said. “I love designers that have flagship items, whether it’s a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress or Polo Ralph Lauren.”