Designer
José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales
Year
2006
Merendero
“During a meal we share more anecdotes and little stories with our friends than at any other time. Our MERENDERO arose from our quest to provide a contemporary space for people who like eating together in natural surroundings.”
Merendero Dining Booth
José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales
The collection
About José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales
José Antonio Gandía-Blasco Canales was born in Ontinyent, Valencia. After studying law at the Valencia University, he joined the family business Gandia Blasco, a blanket manufacturer.
After travelling throughout Spain as a business agent, he began to work on responsibilities in the company. With the help of Marisa Gallén and Sandra Figuerola, designers, Gandia Blasco reshaped the image of the company. The current logo was created, the silhouette of a graceful kitten, as well as the first reversible design carpet collection, which later received the IMPIVA Award 1990 for innovation.
The building of his summer residence in Ibiza in 1996 and the need to furnish the house with outdoor furniture that would match the architectonic concept, took José A. to take a closer look at furniture design for the first time. In close collaboration with the architect, they developed the "Na Xemena" collection which is still the outdoor furniture reference of the company Gandia Blasco. The consolidation of this new product line contributed to the diversification strategy of the company.
In 1999 he inherited the company, and started with the definitive structural change.
José A. managed to lead the activities of a solvent family business towards the international benchmark it is today. Experimenting and innovating with materials and shapes, he has been able to turn the ideas of a lover of the Mediterranean culture into a brand image and lifestyle which are well known on the five continents.
Besides being the company president, Jose A. is also its artistic director. He has designed a great majority of the furniture and textile collections that GANDIABLASCO now sells around the world: the ‘DNA’, ‘DNA Teak’, ‘Clip’, ‘Lipstick’ and ‘356’ outdoor collections, accessories such as the ‘Picnic Deckchair’ and ‘Clack! Chair’, as well as a line of lighting products. He has also designed a wide variety of pieces of furniture as part of his vast Outdoor Spaces collection: ‘Daybed’, ‘Sofa Pergola’, ‘Merendero’, ‘Tipi’, as well as their modules and enclosures. He has also designed rugs such as ‘Pack’, ‘Peineta’, ‘Hidra’, ‘Círculos’, ‘Champiñones’ and the ‘Piedras’ duvet, all of which are easily identifiable with the GANDIABLASCO lifestyle.