Hugo de Ruiter (born 1959 in the Netherlands) studied 3D product design and furniture production before working with a furniture manufacturer.  He founded his own design studio, Hugo de Ruiter Design, in 2000, and has developed a reputation for modernly designed upholstered furniture, created for brands like Switzerland's de Sede, de Ruiter said “I consider upholstered furniture to be like a third skin.  Just like a good piece of clothing, your furniture should be comfortable and suit you in many ways.”  He is known for always looking for new ideas that go beyond conventional seating design, exploring innovative new approaches to furniture creation.