Nicky Hilton tells her story — in diamonds

Since ancient times, women have been adorning themselves in jewelry for various reasons: some to flatter their faces, others to display their status in society, perhaps some as a reflection of their heritage, or as symbols of love. Whatever the reason, one thing is sure: a woman’s treasure trove tells a story. 

This is the driving principle behind local fine jewelry brand Denovo Diamonds, and it goes perfectly hand-in-hand with the beliefs of its latest collaborator, Nicky Hilton. “She wants to instill the idea that everyone has their own sense of style — that using your personality, you should be able to come up with your own style,” says Caryll Martinez-Benitez, creative director of Denovo. “It’s the same with Denovo. We encourage our clients to create their own stories with the jewelry pieces that they have.”

A personal story

When I set out to write this article I had to do some extra research. Of course, I knew her name and who she was, but I really had to ask myself: “Who is Nicky Hilton?” Unlike her more famous sister, Paris, who has a distinct public persona, Nicky is more private and discreet. 

“As a friend, I’ve seen her in many different occasions, lunches and dinners with the family,” shares Robbie Antonio, managing director of Century Properties and head of International Brand Collaborations. “She is much more shy than her sister and she is content that way. But when she believes in a product, she really commits to it. I don’t think she wants to endorse (something) just for the sake of doing it; she never does that. She’s very hands-on and she chooses selectively.” Making this partnership with Denovo even more special, it is Nicky Hilton’s very first foray into designing fine jewelry.

“Essentially, she was obviously very cognizant of what her sister has done here in the Philippines and she wanted to see what she could do over here,” explains Antonio of the collaborative process. “She’s very much into fashion and we were exploring what we could do in that field. During one of these conversations she said she wanted to design jewelry and so I introduced her to Jose and Caryll of Denovo. The good thing is that we have Denovo in Century City Mall and we really wanted to have her present here as well.”

The entire design process was extremely quick with Georgina Ong, Denovo’s art director, flying out to New York to meet her personally in November; three weeks later, the final designs were approved and samples were sent. It is also a very timely partnership with the recent release of her new book, 365 Style. As opposed to other fashion books that basically spoon-feed people certain looks, Hilton’s encourages readers to discover their own style through a formula that she devised based on the three main aspects of your life, the six most essential clothing staples and five favorite accessories — hence, 3-6-5. “During our discussions, she said that she doesn’t have just one type of look but, depending on her mood or situation, she is drawn to different ones,” explains Georgina, who worked closely with Hilton to translate her visions to reality. “We determined that there are three major aspects of her personal style: Classic, Edgy and Sweet Vintage.”

Multiple facets

Each piece in the collection features diamonds — a trademark of Denovo. The local brand has positioned itself as synonymous with the precious stone, creating luxurious pieces at different price ranges.

The Classic Collection reflects Hilton’s love of chic and timeless pieces. Taking inspiration from Romanesque and Gothic architecture, the engagement rings have stunning, sweeping arches done in white gold and full pavé diamonds that encase beautiful larger stones in brilliant round- and princess-cut settings. These pieces are meant to be truly special, for marking momentous occasions or as something that can be passed on from generation to generation.

“Nicky has this edgy, more modern side as well,” says Georgina. “She loves art deco pieces, especially those by David Webb. Since she is from LA but, living in New York, I feel like this is also a tribute to her New York life.” 

Eye-catching dangling earrings and streamlined cuffs are presented in graphic art-deco form. White gold with diamonds play against contrasting sapphires or rubies in elegant graphic linear deco designs. With detachable danglers, the earrings are extremely versatile and can easily be worn as studs for daytime. Another pair follows the same aesthetic but adds fine dangling chains, reminiscent of the fringes on flapper dresses.

The last collection is all about sentiment. “This was clearly an homage to the sweet Sixties vintage look,” explains Georgina. “She loves bows, hearts and vintage pieces. It has sentimental value to her.” Yellow gold and diamonds are intertwined to form a beautiful bow, a design that is taken from earring studs to a necklace and bracelet. The most emblematic of course is the ring that poignantly reflects this lost practice of tying a piece of string around one’s finger as a reminder of something.  A wonderful token from someone close as a romantic and whimsical reminder of their affection. Nicky also insisted on having a locket in this collection. “I’ve been collecting lockets since I was a little girl” she shares. “They are feminine and romantic- a perfect gift for a loved one.”  

Iconic touches

“We hope for this to become an iconic design,” says Jose Benitez, Denovo’s managing director. “Like, when you see this bow, you will think immediately of Nicky Hilton and Denovo.” That’s something that I believe won’t be too difficult to attain, considering that these bow pieces are right on the rising trend of truly wearable luxury: discreet enough to wear every day but still capable of making a great impact. It’s that small detail that can change everything. I can easily imagine myself wearing a simple white T-shirt and torn denims with that beautiful gold bow hanging on the collarbone — just the right amount of bling to make a girl feel special. 

In an interview with Hamptons-based e-news site Dan’s Papers, Hilton discusses her love for Jackie O as her “ultimate style icon” and how people like Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld are known for their signature looks. “All these people are style icons, but I don’t think that should be limited to famous people,” Hilton explains. “You can learn to be stylish, but it should be effortless. I think style is being unique and coming up with your own signature look… not chasing every trend.” 

And Nicky Hilton for Denovo is just that. Unique, not trendy, with stunning pieces that one can truly embrace as part of your own iconic look.

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Denovo Diamonds is located on the ground floor of Century City Mall, Makati City. For more information, visit www.denovodiamonds.com.