When Erin Quinlan Quiros moved from Texas to Italy in 1998, interior design wasn’t the plan. She had been working as a strategic planning analyst in the oil industry—a far cry from the antique villas and layered landscapes she designs today. But then came Ferragamo.
Specifically, Leonardo Ferragamo. He saw something in her—an instinct, a point of view, a presence. So much so that he offered her a role that didn’t exist within the company: Padrona di Casa, or “hostess of the house,” for his first hotel. It was a title without precedent, but one that would launch Erin into a design career that has since spanned continents, disciplines, and decades.
Today, Erin runs a full-service firm based in Florence, specializing in both interiors and landscapes. Her projects stretch from Miami to Mexico to Kazakhstan, yet each one carries the throughline of intentionality, curiosity, and a deep connection to place.
From Analyst to Hotelier
“I thought I was launching a hotel,” Erin says, “not launching a design career.” But working alongside architect Michele Bonan and Leonardo Ferragamo, she was tasked with overseeing every element of the guest experience—down to the uniforms, menu typography, and the way the beds were made.
The first hotel was called Gallery, and its concept was radical for the Ferragamo family: modern, minimal, and designed to let contemporary art speak louder than the interiors. Erin remembers standing in a line with Ferragamo family members, waiting for the matriarch Wanda Ferragamo to give her blessing to open. “It was like meeting the Queen,” she says. “She looked at all of us. She stopped at me and said, ‘Nice outfit.’ Then gave us the go-ahead to open.”
It was a crash course in design, culture, and diplomacy—all at once.
A Philosophy Rooted in Listening
Unlike many designers with a clear aesthetic signature, Erin resists a singular style. “My design language is listening,” she says. “I interpret the client’s taste, not impose mine.”
It’s not just talk. She once sold her personal family home in Florence, only to be hired back by the new owner to redesign it. “He moved in with a toothbrush. Then after a year of living in it, he decided it wasn’t his style—and brought me back to reimagine it.”
It’s this rare ability to separate personal attachment from professional execution that makes her such a deft collaborator.
The Ferragamo Effect
While Erin is no longer formally part of the Ferragamo team, her relationship with Leonardo has continued. “We still consult on each other’s homes,” she says. “It’s not work anymore—it’s friendship.”
But the imprint of that early mentorship is clear. Her firm now manages sprawling residences and landscapes across Europe and the U.S., always with the same attention to detail that Ferragamo demanded.
Rooted in the Raw
Erin grew up in Laredo, Texas—a fourth-generation ranching family with a deep relationship to the land. “There’s something about ranch life that’s both raw and refined,” she says. “I think that contrast shows up in all my projects.”
Her work blends natural materials and rough textures with quiet sophistication. “Whether it’s a garden or a lightwell or a tower,” she says, “there’s always some dialogue between indoors and out. I can’t imagine a space without it.”
Design Without Borders
Now based in Florence, Erin speaks English, Spanish, and Italian fluently—culturally and conversationally. She’s taught masterclasses to European design students, worked with global clients including Andrea Bocelli, and leads a team of women from Peru, Colombia, and Mexico.
“I’ve spent more of my life in Europe than the U.S. at this point,” she says. “But I still carry that Laredo sensibility. It keeps things grounded.”
Learn more about Erin Quinlan Quiros, book a virtual consultation or submit a full-scope project inquiry here.
