Ashley Stark Kenner is Creative Director of STARK, the legendary carpet and fabric company founded by her grandparents, Arthur and Nadia Stark, in 1938. STARK has been synonymous with the world's finest floorcoverings since its inception and has been the go-to resource for top interior decorators for decades. Ashley was raised in New York City, and knew that she wanted to be part of the family business from a very young age. Her interest was nurtured by her grandmother, who frequently took her to the STARK showroom as a child to learn the business. A life-long design enthusiast, Ashley redecorated her own bedroom when she was 14, and later, when STARK acquired the iconic fabric house Old World Weavers, Ashley was taught by its founders, Iris and Carl Apfel, everything there is to know about textiles. The Apfels often stayed with her late into the night, quizzing her on the nuances of jacquards and brocades. Ashley's love of fashion greatly influences her work as STARK's Creative Director, as she draws from current trends to develop designs and translates them into the most luxurious carpets and rugs. Ashley is a graduate of Brown University, where she studied history and business. She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
My Grandmother Nadia Stark has always been a huge source of inspiration for me. When I was a little girl she would always take me to our family’s company, STARK, and teach me about the different types of rugs and carpets. She was a strong, powerful woman; someone who I wanted to emulate. This experience of watching her and then becoming a mother myself has helped shape who I am today. How has your previous employment experience aided your tenure at STARK? Having been raised in the family business, my work is in my blood and I have devoted my whole career to expanding and bringing the company to the next phase. STARK has always been my passion even from the beginning. It’s been an exciting opportunity taking the reigns as Creative Director of Stark, having been able to cut my teeth from such a young age and learning so much about the business before I ever actually worked here.
What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at STARK? When I first joined STARK, the company had been run only by men - primarily my father and uncle - for many years and the feminine touch had been lost. I had to fight for soft colors like grey and lavender that would eventually go on to become some of our best-selling colors. Getting my father and uncle to trust me and my design eye was an early challenge. One of the greatest aspects of my tenure at STARK has been working tirelessly to create designs and then being able to travel to Nepal and India and see everything being made. To meet the weavers and see them actually creating and bringing my ideas to life — that was truly amazing.
What advice can you offer to women who want a career in your industry? Women should not be intimidated by anything. We have just as much to offer if not more. Stand up for what you believe in and always follow your dreams.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career to date?
The most important lesson I have learned is to always trust myself and my instincts and to stand up for what I believe. I fought hard in the early years for colors like grey and lavender and pale blue and now they are still some of our best sellers. In a company full of men my taste and my aesthetic may be different but it is just as valuable, maybe even more so.
How do you maintain a work/life balance? Maintaining a work/life balance has been the hardest challenge for me. Having two children who are under 3 was a huge awakening but eventually you find your groove and realize you don’t have to be there for everything. I think the biggest thing for me is making time for myself. I am still figuring it all out! What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?
I think the biggest issue is pay equality and to be treated with respect. How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life? Looking up to strong women like my grandmother and my great aunt Iris Apfel have helped shape who I am and who I want to become. I saw them run huge companies and maintain families and I knew that is what I wanted for myself. Even if the early years of motherhood are tough I knew my end goal was to be at STARK forever.
Which other female leaders do you admire and why?
There are so many strong female leaders that I admire it's hard to list just a few. But obviously my great aunt Iris Apfel is someone who I admire greatly. She is fearless in her design and fashion and never listens to the naysayers. She taught me from a young age the importance of beautiful textiles and materials and I still look to her for inspiration. Also the fact that she ran a company with her husband and was able to stay married all those years! What a feat!
What do you want STARK to accomplish in the next year? I want STARK to continue to grow and to keep improving. We are constantly evolving our designs and working with mills to create the absolute best product available. I want to continue building on the legacy that my family has worked so hard to build.