Eric Villency

Eric currently serves as President & CEO of Maurice Villency Inc., Manhattan's legendary contemporary furniture brand.  Among his most recent initiatives is "Villency Pure Design," the company's first domestic production facility that marries European design and fabrication techniques with an American sensibility dedicated to worker welfare and sustainable production methods that respect the environment. Eric has been the recipient of several design awards including:  the FIT "All Star Salute" award as well as the IFDA "design Industry" award.  Eric has also lectured at FIT and the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Eric has worked on several notable design projects including: The Rudy Giuliani Urgent Care Unit at St. Vincent's Hospital (New York); The Delta airlines Miami Crown Lounge; The Benz Star lounge at Mercedes-Benz fashion week (New York Fall 2009 collections); The Club level lounge at Citifield (the new stadium for the New York Mets); Starwood brands including W hotels and Sheraton; The Bryant Park Hotel; the Plaza private residences and offices for Kathy Lee Gifford and Ben Silverman.

Villency is a regular contributor on NBC's Today discussing a wide range of topics from design trends to fashion to family issues.  In Addition, he has appeared on Good Morning America, The Tyra Banks show, HGTV, Travel Channel, TBS and was the host of the Fine Living Channel's iDesign.  Villency recently executive produced and hosted the documentary INSEAM that chronicles emerging fashion designers.

Villency is the contributing Style editor for Details Magazine.   Previously, he was the contributing Style & Design editor for Best Life Magazine.  He has also contributed to Departures Magazine, and Women's Health.

Villency, a former model, maintains a deep connection to the fashion world and has pioneered the Villency Emerging Fashion program, which strives to foster emerging talent in the design world. Past participants in the program include Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, Imitation of Christ, Thakoon, Ruffian and Erin Featherston.  In 2007, Villency also founded his own fashion label, "Restoration Of the Monarchy”, which received critical acclaim and which was subsequently purchased by Hartmarx (Ticker symbol: HTMX).

Well versed in the traditions of European design, Villency believes strongly in the fundamentals of European craftsmanship. He values the importance of self-evident quality, the power of the sensory experience, attention to detail, and the marriage of form and function.  According to Eric, "The design world today is, above all, about the convergence of diverse disciplines.  Today, design must take into account new technologies and fabrication methods. Ease of use, attractive packaging, and a pleasing form are not just desirable, they are expected." Eric is, and will always be, passionate about design, and especially about raising design consciousness in the U.S.

Eric currently resides in New York City with his wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle and their son, Ronan.