Isak Andic, founder of fashion giant Mango, has died after “an accident,” the company confirmed in a statement.
Andic — whom Forbes reports was 71 years old — unexpectedly died on Saturday, Dec. 14, per the statement released earlier in the day and signed by Mango CEO Toni Ruiz. The statement did not specify how Andic died.
“It is with deep regret that we announce the unexpected death of Isak Andic, our non-executive chairman and founder of Mango, in an accident that occurred this Saturday,” Ruiz said.
“Isak has been 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 values that he himself imbued in our company,” Ruiz continued. “His legacy reflects the achievements of a business project marked by success, and also by his human quality, his proximity and the care and affection that he always had and at all times conveyed to the entire organization.”
Regional police in Catalonia told CNN on Saturday that, during the afternoon, a 71-year-old man fell more than 320 feet down a ravine near Barcelona at the Collbató caves of Salnitre. A source told the outlet that the victim was Andic, with police noting that they retrieved a body.
Citing Spanish media, and specifically the The Country newspaper, the BBC reports that Andic fell to his death while hiking the mountain range and was with his son and other family members when he fell. Police were reportedly called to the scene at around 1 p.m. local time.
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Per Ruiz’s statement on behalf of Mango, Andic’s death “leaves a huge void but all of us are, in some way, his legacy and the testimony of his achievements.”
“It is up to us, and this is the best tribute we can make to Isak and which we will fulfill, to ensure that Mango continues to be the project that Isak aspired to and of which he would feel proud,” Ruiz wrote. “In these extremely difficult times, we share the pain of the family as if it were our own.”
Andic, whom Forbes reports had a net worth of $4.5 billion at the time of his death, opened his first store in Barcelona in 1984. In the years since, Mango has opened 2,100 stores in 110 countries, per the outlet.
Last month, the company — which describes itself as “one of the leading international brands in the fashion industry” — announced that it had 40 stores open in the U.S., with plans to roll out more than 20 more stores in 2025.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reacted to Andic’s death on X (formerly Twitter) in a translated post, writing that he was sending his “condolences to the family” following the “tragic death in an accident in the Salnitre de Collbató caves.”
“All my love and recognition for your great work and business vision, which has turned this Spanish firm into a world leader in fashion,” he wrote.
Salvador Illa, Catalonia’s president, also shared a statement on X, writing that Andic was “a committed businessman who, with his leadership, has contributed to making Catalonia great and projecting it to the world.”
“He leaves an indelible mark on the Catalan and global fashion sector,” Illa’s translated post reads. “My condolences and those of the entire Government to family, friends and the Mango team.”
