Ethan Diamond, Philip Payne and Stevie Hendrix have a lot in common. The obvious is their movie star looks (although none of them are actors) and the kind of boyish smiles that make a smile contagious. They’re also married to a powerhouse influential entrepreneur and are the ultimate supportive husbands and hands-on dads. The idea for this shoot began with a promise to bring Ethan and Philip to check out Estilo men, so that’s where the shoot began. Estilo owner and stylist Stephanie Coultress O’Neill pulled pieces she thought they’d like, both in and out of their comfort zone, and the guys had no problem sharing their opinions, with Ethan at one point being told he looked like he was auditioning for “Peaky Blinders.” But, we don’t think that’s a bad thing. They had a great time and it wasn’t contrived. Asked if shopping for clothes is something they enjoy or endure, not one of them paused before proudly admitting they love shopping. “I’m definitely a shopaholic and the bougie parent when it comes to this stuff,” says Ethan. “For Amber, this is her job. She models and markets and influences like crazy, but when I get the opportunity to shop, I'm all about it.”
Stevie says, “I've always been a shopper. I was my mom's shopping buddy growing up and my dad is the total opposite, you will never find that man shopping. But my mom loves it and it rubbed off on me, so I've always shopped for my own clothes and been very particular. My clothes are special to me. I view them as those really cool dad pieces that I’ll never get rid of and pass down.”
Philip concurs, “I do enjoy it. I loved being able to find a new style at the shoot. It was very, very fun. And, It was really cool to just hang out with the guys.”
Afterward, we headed to The Statesman, an upscale neighborhood bar and restaurant that opened earlier this year, to hang out, get some food, and learn more about their thoughts on being dads, what they admire about their wives, love about Austin and more.
ETHAN DIAMOND
Wife: Amber Lee Diamond
Kids: Scarlett, 9 and Serena, 6
What is something you love about being a father?
I love sharing experiences and building core memories. That’s the coolest part because you can tell when they're happening.
What’s a gift you would like for Father's? Day?
A practical gift would be a new golf bag. A nonpractical gift would be 24 hours of no screaming. I’m a girl dad.
What’s a lesson you've learned from your children?
Patience.
You and Amber met 10 years ago on MTV’s “Are You the One?” How long have you been married? Our ten-year anniversary is in September.
That’s an accomplishment for a couple who met on a reality show.
Yeah, especially because nowadays people have a hard time staying together no matter how they met.
Do you and Amber watch any dating reality shows?
Oh my God, yes. Being on a reality TV show and knowing what it’s like when you have on-the-fly interviews and storyboard producers, and you're reviewing days and talking about your feelings, it's really fun for Amber and me to watch how that develops on the end product. We like to say, ‘What would you say in this situation?’ We watch ‘Love Is Blind’ and ‘The Bachelor’ and any other show similar to ours.
Do you have any rules to your relationship you think help keep it successful?
I think it's probably listening. Amber calls it mansplaining. I’m always trying to solve her and the girls’ problems, but need to listen to understand and know that maybe there’s not a solution to be had here.
What's something you admire about your wife?
Her passion for kindness and love.
What do you love about living and raising a family in Austin?
I think it's really cool to be part of the blueberries in the bowl. Austin is a great community of thriving, successful, strong women, and it seems like a lot of people from New York, California and all over are finding that in Austin too. I’m just proud to be a part of it.
Go-to cocktail?
I don't drink anymore, I’m a non-alcoholic guy, so I love Topo Chico or a mocktail with ginger beer. Before we had Serena, right after we had Scarlet, I was drinking all the time, so I stopped drinking, and I stopped eating as much junk and I lost 60lbs. We refer to those days as Fat Dad Days.
PHILIP PAYNE
Wife: Iskra Lawrence
Kids: Alpha, 4 and a girl on the way
You played football at UT, how long have you been in Austin?
Since 2006.
What’s something you love about living and raising a family in Austin?
I love how active the community is. There are so many great places to eat outside. My favorite thing to do is eat on a patio, now especially if there’s a playground too.
You’re expecting baby number two, what’s something you love about being a father?
I love that I get to advise and I get to watch the little milestones. I love seeing the growth not only in their physical abilities but their mental and emotional abilities. I love seeing little glimpses of myself and Iskra. It's so humbling and reminds me of my responsibility as a parent to show them how to do things the best way.
What’s a gift you would like for Father's Day?
To go to a place I haven’t been for brunch.
How long have you and Iskra been married?
Since 2020.
What’s something you admire about your wife?
Her resilience and her ambition. Throughout my dating history, I never knew that ambition was a check on my list, until I met her. She inspires me, she pushes me without necessarily saying anything to me, but by the way she lives her life. I think above love, above my admiration for her, I respect her, and I hold that dear to my heart. My respect for her is extremely high because of the way she lives her life, the way she treats people and the way she balances being a mom while also accepting her responsibility with her platform and the people who look up to her. She does an incredible job at that and I just love her character and the person that she is.
What’s something you’re working on now that you’re excited about?
As far as my company, Plan A, I feel like we’ve attached ourselves to artists who really have a chance to build sustainable businesses outside of a major label, and it’s fun helping them truly monetize their music and helping them deepen the connection with their fan base. I’m also really excited about a new brand I co-founded with some amazing creators called Feel Trip. We’re shining a light on up-and-coming, tasteful R&B music through live events, activations, playlists and showcases.
STEVIE HENDRIX
Wife: Sazan Hendrix
Kids: Valentina, 6, Amari, 3, Oliver, turns 1 June 23
What’s something you love about being a father?
One thing I love that is also the greatest challenge is that your focus is no longer on you. You focus a lot of your effort, time and energy on your kids. I think the coolest thing about being a dad, or a mom, is being able to create the world your kids live in by doing things with them that they wouldn't do on their own, introducing them to art and sports and travel. That’s your gift and your responsibility.
What's a gift you like for Father's Day?
Ralph Lauren’s double RL brand is my favorite brand aesthetic, so anything from there is always a win for me.
You and Sazan are college sweethearts, how long have you been married?
It was nine years in May.
What's something you admire about your wife?
I admire her output, her effort for life, for being a mom and for being an entrepreneur. She’s an absolute go getter and she puts a 110 percent into anything and everything she does. She’s hard to keep up with in that regard. She’s a force.
Do you guys have any rules for your relationship that you think help it be successful?
We do check-ins with each other and we try to have at least two or three date nights every month. I think having certain rhythms acts as a safeguard so that we don't let our lives get too busy or too hectic without spending quality time together. I notice that when we keep those rules to spend that time together to talk and assess how we’re doing, it really keeps the relationship much healthier.
What’s something you love about raising a family in Austin?
Growing up here, I wished Austin was a cooler city and now Austin is the cool city. It's crazy to see how it's grown since I've moved back. Two things that I specifically love about Austin are that it’s a very health-conscious city, and being active is part of the culture here now, but at the same time, it's a very food-indulgent city.
Anything you’re working on that you’re excited about?
Sazan and I are doing a soft relaunch of our book, “A Real Good Life: Discover the Simple Moments that Bring Joy, Connection, and Love.” It’s available everywhere books are sold.
Quote: , “I've always been a shopper. I was my mom's shopping buddy growing up and it rubbed off on me." -Stevie Hendrix