Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez and Jessica Kienle Maxwell share their thoughts on what makes a good home, and how they steered Philux through the challenges of the global health crisis
STEPHANIE KIENLE GONZALEZ AND JESSICA KIENLE MAXWELL grew up alongside their family’s luxury furniture brand. But what they’ve come to learn over the years is that turning a house into a beautiful home goes beyond plush design—it’s all about the memories.
if the words “evolving style” were to come to life, sisters Stephanie Kienle Gonzalez and Jessica Kienle Maxwell would be their incarnation. A master of mixing classic with modern designs, their aesthetics manifest themselves in both their ventures and their family life. Gonzalez’s current home routine, for instance, has been all about adapting to these challenging times, while staying true to her values. In teaching her daughters about what’s going on around them, she says, “I try to stay as honest and truthful as possible.” Their home, as in the case of many people during the pandemic, has turned into a vessel of learnings and discoveries.
“I feel that I learned as much about myself as a parent as I learned about my children during this time,” she says, speaking about her daughters Andrea and Arielle with husband Chris Razon Gonzalez. “I am very proud of how they have adjusted to our new reality because I see the independence it has fostered. I am also very thankful to have a strong support system: our family, our household staff, their teachers online. Parenting has been a team effort and I am grateful to those who have helped.”
Maxwell, who shares a newly-renovated home with husband Jesse and their two kids Luca and Layla, has changed her routine, too. Before the pandemic, home was a place where work-related thoughts were put aside. Since she works there now, she tries to allocate a few hours of her day to simply stay in a room and go through her tasks. “To be one hundred percent productive, it is important to have a designated place to work in, a quiet space where you can stay focused without distraction,” she says.
Adjusting to this new normal was especially hard for Maxwell, who had to give birth to Layla during the whole health calamity. “There were so many uncertainties, and that is what was worrisome,” she recalls. “It was definitely a scary time, but I trusted my doctor and I just had to accept the fact that I could not have full control of the situation. I had to have faith that everything will be okay.”
While the sisters have it together, Gonzalez says that this new situation can highlight the “little quirks and emotional moments.” But it has allowed them to see some things a little clearer: “our life’s path is all the more anchored in purpose.”
Purpose, too, is what has been driving luxury furniture brand Philux, a family business, to continue moving forward amidst changing times. Gonzalez is the brand’s chief operating officer while Maxwell is its vice president and head of design and merchandising.
“I feel that I learned as much about myself as a parent as I learned about my children during this time”
DESTINED PATH
Philux, a portmanteau that combines “Philippine” and “luxury,” began with a purpose to promote Filipino craftsmanship. With only two carpenters working with them, Max Kienle and wife Zelda Aragon (Gonzalez and Maxwell’s parents), created the brand in 1980.
Although the sisters were groomed to take over the business one day, the young Gonzalez was uncertain about the path she wanted to take. And she was given the freedom to explore her options—the same freedom she wants to give her children. “While I would love for my daughters to be involved in the business one day, I would like for them to be given the choice to discover what their passions are and pursue them,” she says. “I would support whatever they feel strongly about.”
After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College in New York with a degree in economics (and after taking other courses in Paris and London), Gonzalez saw her future clearly. “I certainly wasn’t sure I was going to join the business,” Gonzalez remembers. “But I did so naturally, after my years of schooling abroad. My parents gave me the chance to participate and I was challenged by the opportunity.”
Maxwell, on the other hand, was already interested in design and interiors from an early age. She remembers her mom taking her and Gonzalez to showroom rounds. In those moments, she would watch in awe as her mom fixed the displays. She grew up admiring the likes of designers Muriel Brandolini, for her Asian and European influences; Victoria Hagan, for her classic, clean designs; Kelly Wearstler, for her bold aesthetic and sculptural furniture; and Nate Berkus, for his vintage touches.
After graduating from Parsons School of Design in NYC, and studying interior architecture in Paris, Maxwell pursued her passions. She shares Gonzalez’s perspective when it comes to her kids. “As much as I would love to see my children involved in Philux when they are older, at the end of the day it is completely up to them. And who knows what their interests will be or what they will end up doing. My parents have always said that they were proud of where we are taking the business and love seeing all the changes we are making. I imagine I would also feel very proud and excited to see where my children would take it, and see how Philux would evolve in their hands.”
“We are soundboards for each other, for the good and the bad. We make sure to support each other when needed. We absolutely love doing creative and purposeful work together”
DYNAMIC DUO
Evolution is indeed a constant presence in Philux. When the brand started, a couple was at the helm, now it’s the couple’s daughters— same family, different dynamics. The energy and zest that the sisters share for the brand can be “tricky,” Gonzalez explains.
“It comes with the difficulty of not being able to separate business from pleasure. The great advantage, however, is that we are able to make firm, actionable decisions swiftly to effect meaningful change,” she says. “As a family, we often lead with our hearts and have a truthful exchange of ideas, which helps drive the company forward.” Ultimately, she says they aim to serve by focusing on self-growth and improvement, a value they want to see trickle down to their team members, and openly share with partners and clients.
Maxwell thinks she is just lucky to be brainstorming and creating ideas with her sister, which she says is a lot of fun. “Although we are both very different people, we are very much on the same wavelength,” she reveals. “We work well together as we respect each other’s opinions and communicate well with each other.”
On the whole, Gonzalez says working with her sister has been like hanging out with a best friend. “It doesn’t always feel like work,” she says. “We are soundboards for each other, for the good and the bad. We make sure to support each other when needed. We absolutely love doing creative and purposeful work together.”
It is fortunate, then, that they are working side-byside family during these past difficult months. For a relatively small business, the future can be faltering. “I was worried about our employees and their families,” Gonzalez reveals. “I was wondering whether our market would still be around after the strict lock down.”
STAYING STRONG
The four-decade-old company was forced to push forward with plans that were already in the final stages of completion—a blessing in disguise, perhaps. Instead of opening new physical showrooms, they are now focusing on accelerating the development of their online platform and concierge design service. “We had to make immediate, conscious, and tough decisions to navigate through the storm and ensure the wellbeing and sustainability of our brand, company, and team members,” Gonzalez says.
Even Maxwell’s tanning studio, Spray, which opened only in December 2019, experienced setbacks during the pandemic. They had to close for half of 2020. “It will take time, but we believe the economy will bounce back,” she says. “Once it opens up, people will feel more comfortable to try new things again.”
“We often lead with our hearts and have a truthful exchange of ideas, which helps drive the company forward”