Stephen Earle : The Current, Vol. 2

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

STEPHEN EARLE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

STEPHEN EARLE Having cut his teeth as a lieutenant for boldface names such as Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren before taking up the creative mantle at Related Companies, Stephen Earle is now bringing his discerning eye to bear on one of Manhattan’s most ambitious residential development projects to date.

“When I was little, there was this girl, Emily, who

parents, Stephen set out to study textile design.

lived across the street, and we would go play in a sand pile,”

he says. “Those were the days when parents would just

open the door and say, ‘Kids! Go play!’ and you didn’t worry

Stephen says. “My mother took classes there so, naturally,

about it. Emily had this big bucket of plastic furniture

I wanted to. Later, after spending a summer studying

and we would empty it out into a little pile, pick out our

textiles at RISD, I was officially hooked on both the craft

individual pieces and then create a floorplan. Emily always

and the school—and when I found out how few men applied

drew a big square with furniture stacked around the edges.

to the program, well, even better. It increased my odds!”

For me? Well, I was angry. I distinctly remember saying,

‘That’s not how you do it!’”

original American textile houses, where he worked under

the direction of industry legend Raymond Waites. A chance

twelve New York City developments, but he maintains the

opportunity to step in for a stylist during a photo shoot at

same aesthetic confidence.

Waites’ house led to work creating vignettes and spatial

Related’s properties span a broad spectrum—from

narratives. From there, he learned the nuances of interior

luxury residences to affordable housing complexes (of

photography and how styling and staging influenced

which they are the largest developer in the US) to third-

perception, which led to positions at both Ralph Lauren

space ventures such as the Equinox Fitness Clubs. When

Home and Martha Stewart in the days when those now

Stephen joined the company in 2014, his newly created post

marquee tastemakers were just honing their residential

reflected Related’s commitment to prioritizing superior

visions and establishing their spheres of influence.

design in its residential spaces, including two monumental

residences located at 15 and 35 Hudson Yards.

Today, through his work at Related, Stephen remains

on the trajectory he established for himself at his earlier

An epic reinvigoration of Midtown Manhattan that

posts, and continues to create stories for a living. “Getting

spans 30th through 34th Streets, where the High Line

where I am now was definitely not the result of anything I

disembarks, Hudson Yards is a city within a city. From the

had planned,” he says, “but it makes so much sense for me.”

beginning, the vision for Hudson Yards was ambitious and

long-term: a collection of multimillion-dollar residences,

He collaborates with Related’s in-house architecture

and design group to oversee partnerships with interior

retail experiences, new and future architectural landmarks

designers, celebrated architects (including Robert A.M.

and open-air gathering spots that would all launch within

Stern, David Rockwell and Frank Gehry) and artists

the same time period and become an instant touchstone for

whose pieces he personally selects to outfit the residential

visitors and locals alike. It worked, and Stephen presides

spaces. The end result is a fully realized presentation of

over some of the most stunning living spaces at the center

spectacular art and articulation.

of it all.

At RISD, he fell even more in love with the pursuit

and, upon graduation, found work with GEAR, one of the

These days, Stephen plays in a much bigger sandbox,

overseeing residential interiors for Related Companies’

His passion for textiles took root early. “In the town

where I grew up in Michigan, there was a famous weaver,”

Born into a family of gentlemen who attended,

“Whether working in publishing, product design,

interiors, photography, even television, I’ve been fortunate

with few exceptions, Washington & Lee University, in

to hone my craft at organizations whose core values and

Lexington, Virginia—many when it was all-male—Stephen

goals embraced the importance of design and the drive

was an outlier. “They all went there—uncles, grandfathers,

to be best-in-class,” Stephen says. “My work has always

everyone—and they just assumed I would, too,” he says.

been less about ‘Here’s a blank canvas and go create

“Fortunately, my brother went and represented for my

something from it,’ and more about chess and challenges.

generation. I was free to go where I wanted, which was the

I order things. I make them talk to each other. Above all,

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).” With supportive

I connect the dots.”

THE CURRENT VOL. 2 67