Spain: Founder of Mango trend chain dies in accident

The founder of the Spanish fashion brand Mango, Isak Andic, died Saturday in an accident in Spain, the company said.

The 71-year-old businessman was hiking with his family in the mountains near Barcelona when he slipped and fell off a cliff, according to Spanish media reports.

Andic was born in Istanbul, but his family moved from Turkey to Catalonia in the 1960s, when he was 14.

He opened Mango’s first store in Barcelona in 1984, and in the decades that followed, he helped Mango become one of Europe’s leading fast fashion companies.

Leaders pay tribute to Andic

“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,” Mango CEO Toni Ruiz said in a statement.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also paid tribute to Andic on social media, praising his “hard work and business vision that transformed a Spanish brand into a global fashion leader.”

Meanwhile, the head of Catalonia‘s regional government, Salvador Illa, hailed Andic as “a committed businessman who, with his leadership, has contributed to making Catalonia great and projecting it to the world.”

What is Mango?

Mango sells nearly 160 million items of apparel and accessories each year. The company offers both professional and casual styles. 

Mango has 2,700 stores in 120 markets worldwide. It set a company record of €3.1 billion ($3.2 billion) in sales in 2023. As part of its latest strategic plan, Mango aims to have more than 3,000 stores worldwide by 2026.

Like its main domestic competitor, Inditex, the world’s largest fashion retailer, Mango strives to quickly adapt its production to the latest fashion trends while offering affordable prices.

Mango has no factories of its own, outsourcing its production mainly to low-cost Turkey and Asia.

dh/jcg (AP, AFP, Reuters)