Clear Vision
Author:Lindsey ShookWe can all agree that 2020 was all about pivoting. From how we use our homes to how we socialize and do business, it was a time for innovation. Author, designer, stylist and all around powerhouse Estee Stanley, rose to the occasion with the launch of The Eye, an interior design and architecture agency unlike any other.
With over 50 members, The Eye’s multi-faceted mission is to revolutionize the industry by cultivating new residential and hospitality design business for their clients, managing mundane business tasks so that creativity can flourish and securing strategic brand and media partnerships. We spoke with the Stanley to get a clear sense of how The Eye will improve the way in which beautiful spaces are made.
Photo by Roger Davies.
Photo by Roger Davies.
–You have experienced great success in both fashion and interior design. Why did you decide to leave those careers behind and start The Eye? As much as I love fashion and design, after working in both fields for over 20 yrs, I felt there really needed to be a shift in how the design world works and how it’s set up. What I experienced during my time designing left me feeling that there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done with the client/designer relationship in regards to contracts, fees, awkward conversations and the lack of transparency between both parties.
–How do you feel designers and architects will benefit from the agency’s efforts? Every other creative category has some type of representation except for design and architecture. The Eye will procure business for our talent and handle client relations, negotiate fees/contracts and timelines of projects. What we are most excited about is matchmaking the perfect collaborations and building these names and brands up to be household names.
Photo by Sarah Elliott.
Photo by Sarah Elliott.
-For years, many in the design industry have been yearning for standards in billing, contracts and more. How does The Eye propose to make change in this area? We want transparency between client and customer more than ever. We’re pushing our designers to work with a flat fee and get rid of the mark up and hourly fee structure. We feel that with transparency, clients won’t feel like they’re trying to be sold something in order for the designer to earn profit.
–How are you integrating manufacturers into the process? As many of our designers want to have their own furniture or lighting lines, we are finding manufacturing partners and sourcing licensing deals for our artists.
–What do you hope to achieve for each client? At the Eye we hope to allow each architect and designer more time to be creatives, which is all they want to do. By taking over the vetting of the clients, contracts, negotiations, etc. we feel we’ll allow the artists to put most of their energy into the creative aspects.
Photo by Noah Webb.
–Can you share any success stories thus far? Clients that were searching for months and months for the perfect designer came to us and were matched right away. We’ve been able to book multiple residential and commercial projects for our designers and help aid with all the change during this crazy past year. On top of the design projects, we’ve just secured a licensing lighting line with Maxim Lighting and Mat Sanders that we are so excited about!
-What future initiatives are in the works for The Eye? The Eye is working on producing TV shows, including the launch of our Youtube channel where you’ll be able to see a plethora of talented designers and a variety of show concepts. We’re also working on a pop up shop of our designers secret stash.
Photo by Douglas Friedman.
“Estee Stanley is changing the landscape of interior design with her agency, The EYE. Her deep understanding of business, design, and visionary approach is revolutionizing the industry. For a designer like myself, who recently pivoted into this space from fashion, Estee is a much welcome partner. Her expertise has helped streamline and accelerate my transition.” – Erin Fetherston
Led by women, we’re also all about evolving here at Hoopes Vineyard,” says proprietor Lindsay Hoopes in relating her brand to The Eye Agency. “Working with The Eye Agency, and the talent they represent, has been an inspiring process. Designer Erin (Fetherston) is a brilliant childhood friend of mine and, also being a Napa native, her dynamic perspective and affinity for the location was the perfect fit for transforming our family’s landmark estate into the chic membership-only vacation rental it will become. With a balance of historic charm and innovation, the new Hoopes Home will welcome visitors to a new kind of Wine Country and leave them inspired by the experience. Echoing the high standards the Eye holds their roster of designers to, Erin’s style is bright, full of natural textures and defined by an earthy elegance that will flow harmoniously with our surrounding landscape of organic gardens and lush vineyards. Impeccably professional, her creativity and attention to detail is unmatched and I am grateful for The Eyes’ flexibility with the time due to COVID circumstances and their role as a liaison during the negotiation process. It let Erin and I’s relationship focus solely on this opportunity to rebuild something contemporary and fresh, a new vision for Napa.” – Lindsay Hoopes of Hoopes Vineyard
For more information or to become a member of The Eye, visit their site, HERE.
