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.”
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