The incredible team at Stacy Garcia Design Studio sat down with Townsend’s own Sr. VP of sales, marketing, design, ingenuity, and care… the mind and heart behind every Townsend Leather product and new creation, Sarah Eckler.

The Stacy Garcia Team asked Sarah for insights on color, collaboration, and customers. Read the full interview on the Stacy Garcia page: https://stacygarciainc.com/partner-spotlight-an-interview-with-sarah-eckler-sr-vp-at-townsend-leather/ or below.

And when you are ready to get Stacy Garcia Collection leather samples in your hand and on your projects, view the entire collection here: https://samples.townsendleather.com/collection/stacy-garcia-blue-label-for-townsend-leather

Partner Spotlight: An Interview with Sarah Eckler, Sr. VP at Townsend Leather

For over ten years, Stacy Garcia Design Studio and Townsend Leather have collaborated to create innovative, high-quality leather collections tailored for hospitality, commercial, and aviation industries. Townsend is known for its unparalleled craftsmanship, deep understanding of material innovation, and ability to push the boundaries of what’s possible in leather design. 

With the launch of our latest Stacy Garcia x Townsend Leather collection, we sat down with Sarah Eckler, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Townsend Leather, to discuss the collaboration, the inspiration behind the new collection, and what makes partnerships like this so valuable in the design industry. 

Q: Townsend Leather and Stacy Garcia Design Studio have been partners for ten years now. What has made this collaboration so successful?

Sarah: Our partnership with Stacy Garcia Design Studio has been built on a shared passion for craftsmanship, innovation, and forward-thinking design. What makes this collaboration so successful is Stacy’s ability to bridge artistry with real-world applications. The team doesn’t just create beautiful concepts—they understand materials at a technical level and how designers will actually use them in high-end interiors. 

From hospitality and commercial spaces to private jets, the demands on leather vary greatly. What makes this partnership unique is that Stacy Garcia Studio approaches each collection with a deep understanding of these different industries, ensuring that what we create is both visually stunning and highly functional. That’s a rare quality in a design partner, and it’s why we love working with them.

Q: The newest Stacy Garcia x Townsend Leather collection features a natural hide and an embossed woven-inspired leather. What was the vision behind this collection?

Sarah: This collection was all about elevating texture and dimension while maintaining the timeless appeal of leather. We wanted to create something that celebrates the natural beauty of hides while also adding a level of artistry and craftsmanship through embossing.

The natural hide showcases the organic character of leather—each piece has its own unique grain, markings, and depth, making it an instant classic for high-end interiors. Meanwhile, the embossed woven-inspired leather is a true statement piece, offering a tactile experience that mimics the depth and structure of woven materials while maintaining the durability and flexibility of leather. The collection blends subtle sophistication with bold craftsmanship, making it incredibly versatile.

Q: How did color and material trends influence the development of this collection? 

Sarah: We’re seeing a growing demand for earth-driven palettes and layered textures across hospitality, aviation, and luxury commercial interiors. Designers are moving away from flat, uniform surfaces and leaning into depth, warmth, and organic influences—which perfectly aligns with our approach to leather.

For this collection, we curated a range of rich, tonal hues that feel timeless yet fresh. There’s an emphasis on warm neutrals, deep charcoals, rich mineral tones, and sophisticated browns—colors that bring an effortless sense of luxury. These hues are incredibly adaptable, allowing designers to use them across a range of interior styles, whether it’s an elegant hotel, a private jet, or a refined corporate space.

Q: Townsend Leather serves multiple industries, including hospitality, commercial, and aviation. How do you see this collection being used across these different spaces?

Sarah: One of the greatest strengths of this collection is its versatility. Each leather was designed to meet the performance needs of high-end interiors while maintaining the elegance that designers expect from luxury materials.

• In hospitality spaces, the natural hide is perfect for upholstered seating, headboards, and statement furniture, adding warmth and an artisanal touch to hotels and lounges. The woven-inspired leather can be used for feature walls, bar fronts, or custom panels to create rich, textured focal points.
• In commercial spaces, these leathers bring a layer of sophistication to boardrooms, executive offices, and lounge seating, adding depth without overwhelming the design.
• In aviation, designers love working with our embossed leathers because they add a high-impact aesthetic while remaining incredibly durable. The woven texture in this collection offers the refined look of handcrafted materials but is engineered for performance, making it ideal for private jets and first-class lounges.

What’s exciting is that these leathers don’t just blend into the background—they create memorable, tactile experiences in every setting.

Q: What makes partnering with Stacy Garcia Design Studio unique compared to other collaborations?

Sarah: Stacy Garcia Design Studio brings a rare mix of strategic thinking and creative vision. Many design studios focus on aesthetics alone, but Stacy and her team have a deep understanding of what makes a product successful—not just in terms of visual impact, but in how it will be used, marketed, and specified by designers.

Another thing that makes this partnership special is how hands-on and collaborative it is. Stacy’s team is involved at every stage—from initial concepts to selecting finishes and refining details—ensuring that the final product aligns with both design trends and real-world applications. The result is always a collection that feels elevated, thoughtful, and forward-thinking.

Q: What would you say to other companies considering a partnership with Stacy Garcia Design Studio?

Sarah: If you’re looking for a design partner who truly understands both creative direction and market strategy, Stacy Garcia Design Studio is an exceptional choice. They bring a deep knowledge of industry trends, a highly engaged audience of designers and specifiers, and an ability to translate inspiration into commercially successful products.  After 10 years of collaboration and multiple collections launched together, we have seen how Stacy and her team continue to evolve with changes in the market and have the ability to stay in front of trends but create products that are also tried and true and timeless. 

For Townsend, this partnership has not only resulted in stunning collections but has also helped expand our brand presence in new ways. If you’re considering working with them, expect a collaborative, high-energy process—and be ready to create something that truly stands out in the market.  It’s been fun highlighting our collections together over the years at trade shows and through our sales network and other means and we always look forward to the excitement a new launch together brings and the positive feedback we receive from the various markets we target.  This latest launch, we received a record number of requests for sampling for the woven-inspired leather once it was featured on Material Bank. 

Explore the Collection

The Stacy Garcia x Townsend Leather collection features natural hides and embossed woven-inspired leathers in a range of earthy, tonal palettes designed for hospitality, commercial, and aviation interiors. Whether you’re looking for a soft, organic finish or a high-impact texture, this collection delivers on craftsmanship, innovation, and timeless elegance. 

Perfect for:

Luxury Hotels & Hospitality Spaces

Executive Offices & Commercial Interiors

Private Jets & Aviation Design

Interested in incorporating this collection into your next project? Explore the collection here! https://samples.townsendleather.com/collection/stacy-garcia-blue-label-for-townsend-leather