The Son of Josef Hoffmann, he was introduced by his father to the decorative arts. After the marriage with Pola, the couple moved to New York in 1925, and the two were welcomed by the group of Austrian architects who had emigrated to the USA in previous years, working for a short time for Joseph Urban. Later they opened their own studio in Madison Avenue, designing furniture for private clients, as well as tables and accessories for the Early American Pewter Company. After the divorce in the '30s, Hoffmann began working for the Howell Co, a company of which he became Resident Designer, drawing a wide range of products tube and steel plate, baptized under the trade name "Chromsteel". With the drop in orders due to the war, Hoffmann left the profession and started a new career as a professional photographer.