Inside EYC: Cora Delaney on Culture and Control

Image Credit: EYC

“Culture” appears constantly in fashion. It sits in campaign language, in casting conversations, in brand messaging that tries to signal relevance. The word moves easily. Its meaning doesn’t always hold. 

“Not every brand is part of culture,” says Cora Delaney. “Some brands are just selling products, and that’s fine.” 

The statement cuts through the surrounding language. Delaney is the founder of EYC Ltd, an agency that works between brands and the people they want to be seen alongside. The work includes casting, strategy, talent management and creative direction. What appears outwardly as a short piece of content or a campaign moment sits on top of a more deliberate process. 

EYC formed before this structure became standard. Delaney describes the beginning without a fixed plan. She was managing Leo Mandella as a teenager, organising events across London, and styling Lily Allen. Those spaces operated separately at first. Over time, they began to overlap. The work grew through that overlap. The agency followed. 

Image Credit: @coradelaney

“I founded EYC and grew the business organically, starting with talent and then I gained recognition for the events I was producing and the vibe I was creating,” she says. 

The industry looked different then. Influencer agencies had not yet taken shape. TikTok was not part of the landscape. Brands approached talent directly, without the layers that now sit between them. 

Growth followed almost immediately. A large global roster formed. Demand increased. The structure expanded to meet it. That model has since shifted. 

“We actually prefer a smaller roster where everyone is brilliant and we can really invest in their careers,” Delaney explains. 

The adjustment reflects the current environment. The number of agencies has increased. Talent circulates continuously. Attention moves in shorter cycles. A smaller group allows for closer positioning and a clearer sense of direction. 

Casting sits at the centre of that process. The choice of who appears in a campaign shapes how the campaign is understood. EYC approaches that decision through two routes. One relies on familiarity with the space, an understanding of who carries influence that does not always register in numbers. The other draws on analytics that track engagement and audience data. 

“It’s a mix of instinct and tech,” Delaney says. 

That combination determines visibility. It decides who appears at the centre of a campaign and who remains outside of it. 

The structure of content has shifted alongside these decisions. What appears brief or informal often involves a level of production that is not immediately visible. A short video can involve a full team and a dedicated budget.

“If someone’s getting paid, say, £5,000, they might invest £1,000 of that into production,” Delaney notes. 

Image Credit: @coradelaney

The detail grounds a wider change. The sense of immediacy remains. The conditions behind it have altered. 

Within this environment, the idea of cultural relevance becomes harder to define. It is often treated as something that can be constructed or directed. 

“Culture shouldn’t be something brands try to control,” Delaney says. “It comes from people, how they live, what they create, care about and value. I bring together talent and creatives who are defining culture, creating movements and building communities which is why the agency is valuable to brands.” 

The distinction runs through the way EYC works. Some campaigns rely on scale. Others depend on association. The approach follows the outcome the brand is aiming for. 

This is where the agency decides how a brand will be understood. It interprets the brief and defines how that brief takes form. It selects the people who carry that positioning into view. 

Community feeds into that process. EYC has built its network through events that have taken place over several years across London, the US and Europe. The same people return. Relationships develop over time. That familiarity carries into the work. 

“We don’t see ourselves as just a talent agency,” Delaney says. “It’s more of a community.” 

The term becomes clearer when placed within the structure of the agency. Access moves through existing relationships. Opportunities circulate within a defined network. Visibility builds through repeated collaboration. 

The work has extended across both high fashion and digital culture. Delaney has worked with brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci, alongside talent including Cardi B, Mia Khalifa and Wolfie Cindy. 

As EYC has expanded, Delaney’s role has shifted toward the creative side of the business. A wider leadership team now handles operations. Her focus sits with ideas, direction, and how a project is shaped before it is seen. 

The pace of the industry requires constant adjustment. Platforms shift. Audiences move. Formats change.

“Everything changes,” she says. “You have to adapt with the times.” 

Image Credit: @coradelaney

That awareness carries into Badwater, a tequila-based ready-to-drink brand she co-owns and directs creatively. The project applies the same thinking developed through EYC to a product context. The launch moved quickly, with distribution expanding into major retailers. The strategy reflects an understanding of how attention is built and sustained. 

The expansion is increasingly global. Delaney travels frequently, with a focus on growing the agency’s presence across the US and UAE. “I travel a lot globally, I love LA and Miami and I'm expanding the business to work with more clients and talent in the US and UAE,” she says.

The relationship between brands and culture has shifted. What once depended on proximity now moves through a more structured process. Agencies sit within that structure, shaping how connections are made and how they are seen. 

The language remains familiar. Culture. Relevance. Authenticity. 

The systems behind it continue to decide who gets to be culture.