Originally from Türkiye, he arrived in Spain as a teenager. There, the clothing brand Mango was founded, one of the most important groups in Europe in the clothing sector. Isak Andic died this Saturday in an accident.
“It is with deep regret that we announce the sudden death of Isak Andic, our non-executive chairman of the board and the founder of Mango, in an accident on Saturday“, declared Toni Ruiz, the general director of this company, in a press release.
He did not provide further details on the circumstances in which the 71-year-old man died but the Spanish press claims that he did a fall during a hike with several members of his family near Barcelonain Catalonia, in the northeast of Spain.
“Isak was an example for all of us. He dedicated his life to Mango, leaving an indelible mark thanks to his strategic vision, his inspiring leadership and his unwavering commitment to the values he himself instilled in our company“added Mr. Ruiz.
Born in Istanbul
Born in 1953 in Istanbul, Isak Andic moved to Barcelona with his family at the age of fourteen. In 1984, he opened his first store with his older brother Nahman on Paseo de Gracia, the city’s famous shopping street. And it was a huge success.
Spain had just emerged from a decades-long dictatorship that ended with Franco’s death in 1975, and consumers were hungry for more modern clothing. Isak Andicsaw that we needed color, style“, explained the company’s global director of retail, Cesar de Vicente, in an interview in March 2024.
The businessman quickly opened dozens of other stores in Spain and then abroad, starting in two neighboring countries, Portugal and France, all under the Mango name. Mango is today one of the leading ready-to-wear groups, with nearly 2,800 stores worldwide and 15,500 employees, according to its website. And a turnover in 2023 of 3.1 billion euros.
“Excellent work”
Like its main Spanish competitor Inditex, a ready-to-wear giant that owns the Zara brand, Mango strives to quickly adapt its clothing and other accessories to the latest fashion trends while offering affordable prices. Its versatile offering, with both business and casual styles, has been a hit with consumers, with Mango selling almost 160 million fashion items annually.
This company has only one brand and does not have any factories, relocating its production mainly to Turkey and Asia, to manufacture at lower costs. Isak Andicrealized that having the same name, having the same brand in all stores, would make the concept much stronger“, underlined Mr. De Vicente in this regard.
The entrepreneur, who spoke little in the media, was one of the richest men in Spain. Forbes magazine estimates his and his family’s net worth at $4.5 billion.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez reacted to the death of Isak Andic by writing on the social networktransformed this Spanish firm into a world leader in fashion“thanks to his”excellent work and his entrepreneurial vision“. The head of the Catalan regional government, Salvador Illa, for his part paid tribute to him as “committed businessman who, through his leadership, contributed to making Catalonia a great nation and making it known to the world“.
Mango clothing store Isak Andic Spain
