Judging the Judges: Nicholai by Nicky Hilton Spring 2008 Collection

Monday, October 01, 2007 by
One of the top 5 crappiest Project Runway judges ever, Nicky Hilton, showed her Nicholai Spring 2008 collection recently and to our intense delight, the fashion press hated it.

To be fair, there are a handful of perfectly serviceable, inoffensive designs sprinkled throughout, but damn, when she goes off the rails, she really goes off the rails. We're pretty sure some of those outfits were made out of vinyl shower curtains. And Nicky honey? That black and white stuff is about 2 seasons too old.




























(Photos: Brooke/WireImage)

64 comments:

LauraK said...

"Top Five Crappiest Project Runway Judges Ever"

Now this sounds like fun:
1. Nicky Hilton
2. Freddie Leiba
3. Anne Slowey

Gorgeous Things said...

4. Sasha Cohen
5. That chick from Entertainment Tonight who chose Wendy's orange dress in season 1

Here's how I do the math on Nicholai;

Talentless C List Celebrity + Daddy's Money + Hired Fashion Designers = Pfeh

Anonymous said...

It's actually not an actively bad collection - I've seen worse. And there were a couple pieces in there I really kinda liked (wow do I hate admitting that). But overall it's just really boring, and you're right - 2 seasons behind. And worst of all, as our beloved PR judges are so fond of saying, we've seen it before, and done better.

Anonymous said...

Is anyone else having a flashback to everything Jane Mancini ever designed on Melrose Place?

Anonymous said...

6. That feminazi Ebay fashion director (I'm *still* trying to get my head around what that means)

As for the Nicholai collection...meh.

Anonymous said...

It's not that horrible, but very dated, and obviously she did not design a thing.

Anonymous said...

On the list of 5 crappiest PR judges:
Rachel Zoe! Whispered inanity.

- CAAF

Anonymous said...

Yawn. At least we'll always have Paris.

Anonymous said...

umm.
OLD

Katyola said...

I think the worst is the dress Nicky has on. She looks like a babushka! Very unflattering.

DolceLorenzo said...

Not impressed.

Anonymous said...

thank you, laura s, for my Adverb du Jour -- actively! "Well, boss, that wasn't the most actively inane edit you've ever done on my work...." or "You know, Sis, that empire waistine isn't an actively awful look for you, but...." hee!

Nicky, though....(I think Nick needs to sue because Nicholai and Nikolaki are close enough to be...well, actively confusing.)

Anonymous said...

More importantly, what the heck is she wearing? That is FUGLY!

Zoë Malachi said...

as one of our infinitely quotable pr judges once said:

"i feel underwhelmed."

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I think the worst thing you can say is that it's just...humdrum.

Anonymous said...

It's a bit everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type of collection, just not cohesive enough.

Anonymous said...

I give her snaps for using color, but there's too much shiny, and half the clothes don't look like they fit. I do like the B/W shorts outfit and the B/W dress with the bow, even if B/W is sooo last season. I know what I like, and I like B/W. :-)

The rest of it...meh. It looks like the kind of stuff I used to make for my Barbie out of my mother's sewing scraps.

Anonymous said...

No wonder she picked Santino's.

Anonymous said...

nearly all of the dresses have the same silhouette. and/or neckline.

Anonymous said...

wtf, doesn't the the fourth dress (row 2 column 2) look just like that dress Marla or whoever made in her episode?

kath said...

Please god, let this be the end of her design career...

personette said...

speaking of top 5 bad judges - will someone PLEASE explain what Anne Slowey is supposed to do as fashion director of eBay?

Isn't that like Minister of Architecture for McDonald's?

personette said...

Oops - sorry.

I mean Constance White.

(I had an intense negative reaction to Anne Slowey and her name just came to the forefront...)

Anonymous said...

My eyes are bleeding.

Anonymous said...

This was a scroll-down-and-forget collection, not a stop-and-magnify one.

Next...

Anonymous said...

It's just not aesthetically pleasing.

Anonymous said...

Should I order the ouzo or the margherita?

-- desertwind

mjude said...

just knowing how many talented designers are out there that never get a break. but this ho is able to have a collection. what a load!

nilvento said...

Uhmmm...isn't the 4th on the dress Marla made for her??

Anonymous said...

The red dress looks good, though plain & the swimsuits aren't terrible. But the rest kind of sucks. And the dress she picked to wear herself tell us everything we need to know about her qualifications to serve as a PR judge.

As for the top 5 crappiest judges, I'd definitely agree with Nicky Hilton, Anne Slowey, and Rachel Zoe. Isn't Freddie Leiba the one who really liked Santino's jumpsuit for Kara? If so, he definitely belongs. And what about that guy who liked Vincent's poorly made, ill-fitted travel outfit (the one he made for himself)?

Anonymous said...

OH MIGHTY ISIS!
Ok. Now, I personally think these girls never deserved more than 15 minutes and wish they would disappear forever from all forms of media so that the universe may return to its proper order, but clearly I'm forgetting the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

This collection isn't as bad as I wish it were, or, at least, I found it more palatable overall than some of the collections presented by some of the respected designers that previously appeared on this blog. Some of those pieces would look lovely with a tasteful Thoth brooch or cobra headdress, don't you think?

Anonymous said...

Aww, I didn't think she was such a bad guest judge. I think there have definitely been 5 worse... Parker Posey and Debra Messing immediately come to mind by default. It's not their fault at all, but Bravo really goofed in having them co-judge the final collections. At least Nicky is involved with fashion at a level beyond "I like fashion."

GothamTomato said...

Ahhh, the Hiltons: Always there to remind us all that money has nothing whatsoever to do with taste.

--Gotham Tomato

GothamTomato said...

"Gorgeous Things said...
Talentless C List Celebrity + Daddy's Money"




Actually, that's grandaddy's money. Daddy never worked either (other than to pimp out his daughters to subsidize his dwindling trust fund.)

--Gotham Tomato

Brandenburg3rd said...

Enh.

But they're undoubtedly anything better than her sister would have dreamed up.

Anonymous said...

One word: hookeresque.

Anonymous said...

" Anonymous said...

OH MIGHTY ISIS!"


LOL. Hilarious! It's alright. Nothing to write home about.

Anonymous said...

She hired the best models, best makeup artist...I'm sure he has someone designing everything for her.

Anonymous said...

She hired the best: super-stylist Patti Wilson, show-music-genius Michel Gaubert...but the clothes were not that great. Everything looked like Palm Beach polyester.

Anonymous said...

Wow. The words "underwhelmed" and "knock-off" come to mind.

Sometimes it's better to stick with what we know best.

And in the Hilton sisters' case, that would be nothing at all.

Anonymous said...

"darling_nikki said...

Uhmmm...isn't the 4th on the dress Marla made for her??"


Yes, that looks like the dress Marla made for her or at least the top.

Anonymous said...

Nicholai by Nicky Hilton
Nikolaki by Nick Verreos

Oy vey!

Anonymous said...

That 4th dress does look like the Marla version of the Chloe dress that Nicky had already worn - which makes it a copy of a copy! And the necklines are boringly similar.

My guess is that unless she or her parents are funding this, we''ve seen the last of the Nicholai by Nicky Hilton collection. She's been there, we've done that.

And, for me, worst judge ever is a tie between Anne Slowey and Nancy O'Dell. But there were a lot of contenders.

Anonymous said...

geeze!!!
she got some big name models to do her crappy show.

bruna!!!

Anonymous said...

Her expression says it all:
"I know it's shit but I still get to do it!"

Emma P.

Anonymous said...

Proportion, honey. Look into it.

Anonymous said...

Everything looks like it was designed for her sister. Perfect if the fashion statement you want to make is "I'm a skanky crack ho with too much money."

Anonymous said...

Well, good for her for attempting something...I think. But here's what I don't understand: when you have more money than God, why is your fit so bad? Styling aside, the fit is just wretched on several of those pieces. No excuse for that. However, I did like a couple of the little black dresses. Cutting edge and original? Frankly, I have no idea. But I'd wear them. That's something, right?

Anonymous said...

This is what Nick wrote on his blog:

"Last week was NY Fashion Week, and I spent it in Los Angeles. Much to the contrary of what had been rumored, I did not show at the Bryant Park Tents . Let me explain: I received many emails and calls here in LA from friends and industry people saying, "Did you know you are showing?". I was like "No, I ain't". Well, a line called "Nicholai" is on the roster, they would tell me. Sorry guys, my line is NIKOLAKI. Nicholai is the brand-new line by Nicky Hilton, and while yes, the names sound familiar. "

I guess he's used to it.

Anonymous said...

I'm getting sick of celebrities "designing" their own lines of clothing. Nicky Hilton doesn't even design Nicholai, yet her name is attached to it and ughh it just grosses me out how they basically get paid for nothing, just appearances and the use of their name.

Anonymous said...

I'm having a hard time seeing this collection because of the red cloud of rage swirling about my head.
I get this way every time I encounter someone whose primary descriptor is "socialite", as though it were a valid and venerable occupation.

Hmmm...what would that resume look like? "Core competencies: dresses hot; mixes well; proven ability to stay awake till the wee hours".

Maybe I'm just jealous.

Suzanne said...

She actually claims to have studied fashion design. I guess she went to the same school where Jessica Simpson and JLo studied shoe design.

Looks to me like she saved up sketches for years and then finally executed them, forgetting that by the time she sent them down the runway, they were outdated.

Let name our 3 FAVORITE PR judges!
JAY MCCARROLL! (soooo bitter)
TARA CONNER! (one of my favorite PR moments ever was when Keith Michael grabbed her boob)
and the best judge....the creme de la creme....the one the only Diane von Furstenberg!!!

Anonymous said...

What's with all the Amy Winehouse beehives she put on top of those model's heads??? Is that in style now???

Anonymous said...

Quelle horreur!! That black bandeau bra and matching black pant with something shiny???

Nicki, honey? Please go back to wearing clothes and clubbing....
the paparazzi need you!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Limited Too will carry her fashions, because it's too classy for Forever 21. Yes, I tried to make a funny!

Jenn said...

1. Slowey--Emmett's episode
2. Nancy O'Dell
3. Nicky Hilton
4. Slowey again--season 1
T5.Rachel Zoe @ Sasha Cohen

While I think she is adorable, Sasha Cohen made my list because I thought Zulema's skating outfit looked cheap and unflattering. Plus, the color reminded me of E.T. as he was dying.

Anonymous said...

Not that I necessarily think Nicky Hilton needs defending, but I thought I'd post a few results of my very brief research, which may or may not reduce some potentially unfair preconceived notions people might have about this collection.

1. Nicholai is her full first name, so she wasn't plagiarizing. lol.
2. She attended Parsons as well as the Fashion Institute of Technology before designing for a Japanese shoe company for three years and creating her own fashion line. So she didn't just spring into Fashion Week out of the blue; she's been working towards this for several years.

I think most people see the name Hilton and automatically want to burn her at the stake just for releasing a clothing line.

In my opinion, there are several pieces in her collection that are quite creative and beautiful, in spite of the bad hair styling. :-)

Anonymous said...

Best. Guest. Judge. Ever? Fern, of course.

Anonymous said...

It's just bad. Nothing innovative or forward-thinking about it. A compilation of what she, her sister, and her mother have bought at high-end stores.

Anonymous said...

HATES IT.

Anonymous said...

FUG.

Be here's the thing - at least she is trying something, If this doesn't work, then she'll try something else. It's at least a good attmept to make your presence worth something to the planet. She gets my applause the that, unlike her useless sister.

Anonymous said...

I just can't get over how she made herself look about 20-30 pounds heavier than she really is wearing that awful dress!

Anonymous said...

I guess the hotel venture fell through and she tried another thing she knows nothing about. Oh to have money and nothing to do.

Anonymous said...

OKAY, WHAT THE FUCK!?

Here are this collections most major problems, ignoring the fact that the ENTIRE thing was a DISASTER.

-She made Irina Lazareanu, possibly the skinniest girl in the industry look FAT.
-She ripped off, oh, I don't know, Chanel, Marc Jacob, Alberta Ferretti, Christian Dior, Dolce and Gabbana, etc, etc. And she didn't even hide it! Some of those looks came DIRECTLY out of those designers collections from last season (and some from THIS season) and she did them POORLY. HOWTHEFUCKISTHATPOSSIBLE?!?!?!?!!?
-Jessica Stam looks like shit. Now, repeat this aloud: JESSICA STAM LOOKS LIKE SHIT.
-What did ANYTHING in that collection have to do with the REST of that collection? NOTHING.
-It was sewn HORRIBLY.

Done now. : )