You studied law then joined the family business – that produced carpets – and began to travel: are you a repentant lawyer?
I would say yes: the university studies were nearly lost years for me. I always liked design and creativity but at that time in Spain I couldn’t study exactly these topics. e option was to study ne arts but it was not what I wanted to do. at’s why I consider myself as a self-taught designer who studied as a lawyer..
The need to furnish your home in Ibiza led you to design outdoor furniture: was it already a latent passion or is there a sort of fortuity in the birth of Gandia Blasco outdoor?
That’s right: the need to furnish the terraces of my house in Ibiza (1996) led me to start designing outdoor products but I always had the passion for this eld. Since I was very young I liked it a lot and have been always thinking how to design a space or a lamp or any other item to enjoy the outdoors. I started with designing the garden of my rst house whilst thinking how to illuminate every single corner of it.
From Na Xemena to today: how did Gandia Blasco change and how did the market change too?
Na Xemena has meant a big evolution for Gandia Blasco because we used to be just carpet producers and with Na Xemena, our rst outdoor proposal, we became furniture producers for outdoors too. The market changed a lot since that time. Now there are several companies producing outdoor furnishings but at the beginning it was the opposite. Anyway, in my opinion there are very few companies with a clear personality. It is quite easy to produce outdoor furniture but it is not that easy to have a strong identity. Of course I think that Gandia Blasco has one of the strongest ones. e production of outdoor furniture was a niche market, very little explored; then a lot of companies have been starting to produce it just for making business. But, as I said before, very few are doing it correctly.
What are the most important markets for Gandia Blasco and where are you currently investing in? What about your future projects?
Our best market is Europe, especially Spain and Italy. The second market is USA where we have a branch, the Gandia Blasco USA. We are always investing in new projects and brands. One of these will be specialized in outdoor products with low prices and be sold online.
The world of contract & projects is increasingly becoming a rich island, what do you think about it and what is the added value of Gandia Blasco in this eld?
The contract is surely growing and Gandia Blasco has all the right products to meet the needs of the designers and furnish all their projects. Every solution embodies the Gandia Blasco style, of course. Moreover with our brand GAN we can produce rugs both for indoor and outdoor. With Espacios Exteriores we are able to provide any kind of pergola, cristal boxex and special structures for garden. Last but not least, the brand Diabla o ers di erent items for outdoors but with a more casual spirit.
