JinHo joined us over a decade ago and has produced some of the most well-known products in our portfolio, including Ousby by Senator and Jinx by Allermuir. Each design is crafted not only to embody our brands aesthetically, but also to serve as a functional tool within any space.

Tell us about your background, before you joined The Senator Group

“I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and originally trained as a mechanical engineer, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I began my career in the furniture industry as a chair engineer, where I developed a strong technical understanding of structure, materials, and manufacturing.

“Although my academic background was in engineering, I was always drawn to the more creative side of the process and aspired to become a designer rather than remain purely in an engineering role. After around three years, my design ability was recognised internally, and I moved into the design sector, marking the start of my career as a product designer.

“As my role evolved, my work received recognition through multiple design awards, helping to establish my position as a designer. Alongside professional practice, I wanted to strengthen my academic design foundation, so I completed a Master’s degree in Industrial Design at Hongik University while continuing to work full time.

“Through a programme organised by the Korea Institute of Design Promotion, I was selected to take part in an overseas workshop for emerging designers, which took place at Central Saint Martins in London. This experience was my first exposure to the UK and played a key role in shaping my ambition to work internationally.

“In 2009, I joined Senator, where I have since worked as a Senior Designer, combining my engineering background with a design-led approach to create considered, functional furniture solutions.”

What continues to draw you to design today?

“What first drew me to design was the idea that something imagined could eventually become a real, tangible product. I found enormous satisfaction in the creative act of turning an idea into something that people could actually use.

“Although I have been working as a designer for nearly 20 years, it still feels as though this is what I was meant to do. At the same time, design remains challenging. Unlike mathematics or engineering, there is rarely a single correct answer. Design requires finding solutions that people can emotionally connect with, whether through beauty, clarity, or relevance to real problems."

Tell us about your thought process behind designing Ousby by Senator? 

“Ousby was developed with a strong focus on clarity of structure and visual identity. Rather than adding decorative elements, I wanted the structure itself to define the design. This approach gives Ousby a sense of balance and presence that works across different interiors and regions.

“User comfort was central to every design decision. Adjustable lumbar support allows individuals to personalise their seating position, while the flexible mesh responds naturally to movement throughout the day. The V-shaped support bar plays a key structural role, providing strength and stability while concentrating force at the centre of the back frame to deliver controlled resistance when reclining. From the earliest sketches through to final prototypes, Ousby evolved through close collaboration, testing, and attention to detail.”

And your thought process behind Jinx by Allermuir? 

“Jinx was the first sofa I designed, and from the outset I wanted to challenge a common assumption about sofas. Traditionally, sofas are designed to sit against a wall, which often means the back is treated as a purely functional, vertical surface.

“With Jinx, my intention was to create a sofa that could stand independently within a space, one that could be positioned away from the wall and still read as a complete object. This led me to focus particular attention on the rear of the sofa, developing a more sculptural, three-dimensional form rather than a flat back.

“The design was inspired by the rear profiles of cars, particularly the softly descending rear window lines and balanced proportions found in Porsche and Jaguar designs. I was interested in how automotive design gives strong identity and presence to the back of a vehicle, and I wanted to translate that sense of form, proportion, and visual tension into a piece of furniture.”