Born in Istanbul and aged 71, the Spanish entrepreneur was the creator of the famous clothing brand. Across the Pyrenees, the press mentions a hiking accident.
Arriving from Turkey as a teenager in Spain where he founded the clothing brand Mango, one of the largest 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 of directors and the founder of Mango, in an accident that occurred this 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 fell while hiking with several members of his family near Barcelona, in 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 Toni Ruiz.
“Need color and style”
Born in 1953 in Istanbul, Isak Andic moved to Barcelona with his family at the age of fourteen. In 1984, with his older brother Nahman, he opened his first store 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 the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975, and consumers were hungry for more modern clothing. Isak Andic “saw that we needed color, style”explained the company's global retail director, Cesar de Vicente, in an interview with AFP in March 2024.
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The businessman quickly opened dozens of other stores in Spain and then abroad, starting in two neighboring countries, Portugal and France, all under the name Mango, today the name of the one of the leading international groups in its sector, with nearly 2,800 stores worldwide and 15,500 employees, according to its website. Like its main Spanish competitor Inditex, a ready-to-wear giant that owns the famous Zara brand, Mango strives to quickly adapt its items to the latest fashion trends while offering affordable prices.
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 Andic “realized that having the same name, having the same brand in all the stores, would make the concept much stronger”emphasized Cesar De Vicente in this regard.
“Enormous void”
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. “His departure leaves a huge void”commented Toni Ruiz, insisting on “his human qualities, his closeness and the attention and affection that he always showed and transmitted at all times to the entire organization”.
The head of the Catalan regional government, Salvador Illa, 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”. “He leaves an indelible mark in the Catalan and global fashion sector”he added in a message on the social network
