The Society Named New Design Director
The firm appointed an industry veteran to spearhead its expansion into lifestyle and branded residential projects.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in People
The Society has appointed Sandy Lu as its new Design Director as the studio enters its second decade of operations. Lu joins the firm to refine its creative strategy and mentor its design team.
Why it matters
The firm is prioritizing leadership to facilitate a planned shift into higher-tier lifestyle, food and beverage, and branded residence projects. This transition marks a strategic pivot for the studio as it seeks to scale its capabilities after 10 years in the industry.
The firm reached the 10-year milestone of studio operations, with the new hire bringing over 20 years of hospitality design experience. This follows a decade-long tenure at CHIL Interior Design.
The players
The Society
A design studio celebrating 10 years of operation that is currently scaling its work into lifestyle and branded residential sectors.
Sandy Lu
A design executive with 20 years of hospitality experience who previously led the hospitality design department at CHIL Interior Design for a decade.
The details
Lu will oversee the firm's creative vision while providing mentorship to the internal design staff. Her operational focus includes strengthening the firm's presentation materials to secure contracts with developers for higher-tier lifestyle projects. She brings extensive experience from past roles at CHIL Interior Design and Wimberly Interiors.
Timeline
October 2, 2026: Sandy Lu was officially named Design Director.
Past 10 years: Lu served as Hospitality Design Director at CHIL Interior Design.
Market Landscape
The move follows the standard growth cycle for successful design studios as they transition from foundational work into high-end branded residences. This appointment reflects a broader trend of firms upgrading talent to capture higher-margin market segments.
Operators in real estate development should watch the firm's upcoming project portfolio for shifts toward higher-tier, branded residences. The move signals that the studio is prioritizing high-end creative work to improve client acquisition outcomes.
The takeaway
Bringing in senior creative leadership is a common, effective lever for firms looking to pivot into higher-margin market segments. Owners should evaluate whether their own current leadership structure is optimized to support next-decade growth targets or if a similar talent upgrade is required.
Further reading
For more on industry hiring shifts, visit the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hotel Designs.
