SUCCESS STORY: This building has been home to Hiltons Princeton since October 2001. For 25 years, quality and personal attention have brought customers to this exceptional men’s and women’s studio/store for their wardrobe choices.
By Jean Stratton
Staying in business for 25 years is always an achievement to be proud of, but even more so in an age of competition from the digital world of online shopping.
Once upon a time, the Princeton shopping scene was filled with independent, often family-owned and operated stores and businesses. No longer the case today, it is chain stores that predominate and dot the streetscape. And, certainly, online shopping has become the choice of more and more people.
So the fact that customers can still go to Hiltons Princeton at 221 Witherspoon Street is a welcome opportunity for many shoppers. And not only is it still open, it is thriving. Both longstanding, loyal customers and new shoppers from all over the Princeton area are finding their way to the inviting Hiltons Princeton setting.
Opened in 2001 by Nick Hilton, the studio/store brought generations of tailoring expertise to the Princeton community. The award-winning stylist represents the fourth generation of his family to dress American men. The client list includes U.S. presidents, statesmen, captains of industry, entertainers, and sports figures. Hilton designs have been featured in GQ Magazine, among other publications.
HERITAGE AND HISTORY: “In 1888, Joseph Hilton and his brothers began making custom-tailored clothing for men, and four succeeding generations have carried on the tradition,” says Nick Hilton, co-owner of Hiltons Princeton. “We proudly offer the same expert guidance and quality assurance that our family has stood for all these years.” Shown are Hiltons Princeton team members, from left: Sam Page, Catherine Hilton Page, Rob Rencarge, Sergio Sotovando, Jennifer Hilton, and Nick Hilton.
Custom Tailoring
“My great-grandfather Joseph Hilton and his brother came from Russia in the 1880s, and started a custom tailoring shop,” recalls Nick Hilton. “They opened a series of shops, called Joseph Hilton & Sons, and eventually there were 10 stores in New York and New Jersey.
“My grandfather Alex Hilton and my father Norman Hilton continued in the business. After graduating from Princeton and serving in the Navy in World War II, my father later created the Norman Hilton Country Line. He established a wholesale business that we never had before.”
Nick wasn’t quite sure whether to follow in the fashion footsteps of his forebears, but in fact, the interest was there, and he started out in Italy, working for a trouser manufacturer. When he returned to the U.S., he became a salesman for the family business, and found that he was to wear many hats.
“By 1975, I was head stylist, buyer, and salesman, and in 1980, I became president of the company.”
His real interest was in design, however, with an emphasis on softer tailoring and subtle patterns. HIs designs stressed an international updated traditional style.
“It’s not fashion in the sense of anything trendy or a novelty,” he notes. “We reinvent and update tradition.”
Total Outfit
Initially, the store focused exclusively on high quality menswear, and it became a trusted destination for men to find custom-designed classic American-styled clothing, with Hilton’s singular approach, and including many items made in Italy. He was particularly interested in helping each individual find the right style for his own persona.
As he explains, “Men don’t always like to shop or change their look. I enjoy exposing them to something new and educating them. I like to help a guy have more confidence and self-esteem. This can happen when he has the right clothes. We have a certain knack for helping him to coordinate. Sometimes, the hardest thing for a man is to get trousers, sport coat, tie, etc. into a coordinated look. We help them with the total outfit.”
“And of course, quality is important,” he adds. “That was emphasized in my family when I was growing up. I remember my grandmother saying, “If it’s not a good thing, don’t buy it.’”
The shop includes a number of displays featuring ensembles which Hilton has coordinated to show how different colors, textures, and patterns can work together.
At Hiltons Princeton, gentlemen find the full range of menswear including suits and sportswear, shirts (dress and casual), sweaters, shoes, ties, gloves, scarves, belts, etc. Many items carry the Hilton label, as design continues to be an important part of Nick Hilton’s tailoring focus.
“We are at the beginning of a new look in menswear now,” he reports. “It’s a softer, bigger look, with bigger jackets and trousers, not slim or tapered.”
Not Men Only
Among the lines of menswear, customers will find featured brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, and additional brands including Canali, Coppley, John Smedley, Harris Wharf London, Scaglione, Stenströms, and G. Brown shoes.
And, it is no longer men only at Hiltons Princeton! The store expanded in 2012 to include a women’s department, which has proved to be exceedingly popular.
A few years earlier, it became apparent that women wanted to be a part of the Hilton shopping experience, explains Hilton.
“We noticed that men were buying shearling coats for their wives, and realized the demand was there. So we decided to offer sophisticated, elegant, tailored clothing that women would enjoy wearing.”
Jennifer Hilton, CFO, Nick’s wife and co-owner, became the womenswear buyer, and she is delighted that their daughter Catherine Hilton Page has joined the family business, as COO and buyer in the women’s department.
“I am now the fifth generation to be part of our family generation, and it has been the right moment for me to do this,” says Page. “I have always loved clothes, and in many ways, I grew up in the store. I also think I am good at helping people learn how to dress in a way that is best for them. We help instill confidence for them as they select their wardrobe.”
She also has definite ideas about the reasons for Hiltons Princeton’s success over the years and its continuing momentum.
“Of course, it is the quality we offer. We have nothing here we wouldn’t wear ourselves. These are clothes that stand the test of time. A woman came in recently, and referring to the outfit she was wearing, said, ‘I got this from you 10 years ago!’”
Customer Service
Personal and individual customer service has been key to the store’s success, she emphasizes. “This is so important. We are always ready to help with advice, and we give personal attention to each customer, and we remember each person. A woman came into the store not long ago, after having shopped here years ago. I remembered her name and what she had bought. She couldn’t believe it, saying that it was so long ago.”
Every customer in the women’s department has a unique experience and a unique life, and Hiltons Princeton is ready to fulfill her fashion needs. This belief sets the tone at the store.
Of course, tastes and styles change over time, and in many ways today (but not all!), informality is a priority for people.
“COVID had a big impact,” points out Page. “People had to stay home. They didn’t dress to go out socially or to the office. So fashion habits changed.”
In addition, she notes, “Women are not governed by fashion rules anymore. They often make their own. They have more confidence, and are more willing to explore their own look.”
Every Style
A noteworthy reflection of this is the advent of the ubiquitous denim in all its variations. This is not new, but it is emphasized over and over again today. Jeans are seen everywhere, worn everywhere, and in a multitude of settings, from casual to dressier occasions.
Accordingly, Hiltons Princeton has a selection with choices for everyone. Jeans are hugely popular, says Page, and they are available in every style, from printed to embroidered to velvet, as well as the original denim.
The store offers fashion styles for each customer, she adds. If they are not looking for jeans, they will find something else to suit their needs.
“The customers who come here like to look nice,” emphasizes Page. “The tailored look is popular again, and we are also seeing unconstructed jackets. Colors tend to change seasonally and be cyclical. Prints are popular in summer, and creams and camel are always favored. And we see dresses in all hem lengths.”
Many of Hiltons Princeton’s customers travel internationally, she adds, and they want to dress appropriately for that. “They are paying attention to style and fashion, often interested in coordinating a look.”
Everyone likes to get a new sweater, and Page reports that the “intarsia style of knitting is very popular now, and for a variety of knitwear. Not just sweaters, but for socks, scarves, and hats as well. “In the fall, in honor of our anniversary, we will have special custom intarsia sweaters with our logo, made by a Welsh company.”
Full-Time Tailor
A relatively new addition to the women’s department is a selection of custom ball gowns, adds Page, pointing out that they are not found everywhere. “We have all styles and fabrics, including silk, satin, and sequined. This is a growing part of the women’s department, and has become very popular.
“Another thing that sets us apart is that we have a full-time tailor here for alterations. We make sure that everything is in proportion for each customer, depending on their size and stature.”
Accessories, those all-important items that complete the fashion statement, are available in many choices, One can never have too many scarves, for example, and Page adds that belts are very big favorites now.
Among the designer lines featured in womenswear are Anne Barge, Harris Wharf London, Herno, Kinross Cashmere, L’Agence, Scaglione, Stenströms, and many more.
Page is proud to be part of the long Hiltons Princeton history and to continue that tradition and its enduring value. “Customers know that they will not only find quality clothing that is elegant, wearable, and comfortable, but unmatched personal service.”
She is also pleased that her husband Sam Page has joined Hiltons Princeton, reinforcing the family tradition.
Nick Hilton agrees, pointing out that “Each generation has added something of their own. A sense of ‘doing it yourself.’” All of this adds freshness and vibrancy to a valuable tradition, and he emphasizes the store’s enduring focus on quality.
Test of Time
“Quality depends on three things. One, it should stand the test of time, and be durable and classic. Two, comfort is key. The garment should move with you, and the texture should be comfortable and pleasant to wear. Three, it should be aesthetically beautiful, and include classical elements, such as color tone (a palette of colors that go together), content, and composition.
“People who want quality, who understand the quality, beauty, and comfort of a garment, know that it is worth the money, and are willing to spend it. And it is really only in a specialty store that you can get that kind of quality today.”
Contemplating the past 25 years, Hilton is reflective about the meaning of the Princeton store to him. “I wasn’t living my life until I opened this store. It is combining a sense of clothing, fit, and design for people. How they dress and how they look is important for their self-esteem. And we are deeply grateful to the community that has supported us.”
Hiltons Princeton is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further information, call (609) 921-8160. Visit the website at hiltonsprinceton.com.