Julian Fentress is a seasoned professional with a career spanning over 14 years, he has expertise in marketing, product development, and new business development. Holding both an economics degree and a master's in marketing, he is deeply passionate about catalyzing enduring, positive change within the community. Julian's journey has been marked by numerous accolades and achievements, showcasing a relentless drive for innovation and collaboration.

​

Julian has forged impactful collaborations with Michael McCoy, resulting in the creation of 'Place®' for Arconas—a revolutionary airport seating system that has set new standards for traveler comfort and utility globally. Julian founded Julian Designs, a venture committed to crafting and developing products within the United States. 

​

Julian has been an influential member of the team at Fentress Architects, where his contributions have led to prestigious architectural commissions. Julian also leads the Fentress Global Challenge, a renowned student competition envisioning the future of airports. Additionally, he is the founder of Fentress Vanguard, a dynamic marketing agency and business consultancy.  

Michael McCoy is the first recipient of the Smithsonian’s Design Minds National Design Award with Katherine McCoy for, in the words of the museum “affecting a paradigm shift in the design profession”. His influential designs include the Horizon Light for Humanscale (with Peter Stathis), the million-selling “Bulldog Chair” for Knoll, the Place Airport Seating for Arconas (with Curt Fentress) and the Corner Office for Pablo Designs (with Peter Stathis).

 

His awards include Germany’s Red Dot Award, the IDSA Gold Award, The Spark Award, London’s FX Award, the ID Magazine Best of Category, the Chrysler Award and The Interiors Magazine Best Office Design. His designs are in the permanent collections of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the Denver Art Museum and the Kirkland Museum, among others. 

 

He is formerly the Director of the 3D Design Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Distinguished Visiting Professor at London’s Royal College of Art and Senior Lecturer at IIT’s Institute of Design,Chicago. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Kansas City Art Institute.​