José Antonio Gandía-Blasco Canales was born in Ontinyent, Valencia, in 1956. He studied Law at the University of Valencia, but never practised. Following this, he returned to the family business of blanket making. A strong artistic restlessness drove him to reconsider the business model and the focus of the organisation. In 1989 he contacted Valencian studio La Nave and transformed the company's image. Hence the current brand image was born, recognisable by the slender cat logo, and then came his first collection of designer rugs. Although initially his designs were received cautiously, currently his designs, both for textiles as well as for outdoor furniture, are some of the company's biggest successes. Being his own connoisseur eventually paid dividends.