Who Is Isak Andic? Founder Of Fashion Brand Mango Dies In Hiking Accident

Isak Andic, the visionary founder of the celebrated fashion brand Mango, has died in a hiking accident near Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday. According to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, the 71-year-old businessman slipped and fell from a 150-meter cliff while hiking with his family near the Montserrat caves.

Isak Andic, who built the legendary Mango brand when he started the business way back in 1984, died of sudden complications. He left his impression on the global fashion business by creating this famous company, which everyone was made to know and become crazy about its fashionable clothes while still affordable.

Current CEO of Mango, Toni Ruiz said, “His departure leaves a huge void, but we are all, in some way, his legacy and the testimony of his achievements. It is up to us to ensure that Mango continues to be the project that Isak was ambitious and proud of.”

Andic’s Childhood And Business Career

He is born in Istanbul, Turkey, but Andic relocates to Catalonia in the 1960s when he was young with his family. He formed the company Mango in 1984 targeting the Spanish market. He was on top of his fashion style eyeing every detail, which really enhanced quick expansion in both countries; locally, there was Spain, then came the whole Portugal and France.

Success for the company was built on Andic’s ability to adapt and innovate. “He saw that we needed colour, style,” said Cesar de Vicente, Mango’s global retail director, speaking to AFP in March 2024.

Mango’s Global Impact

Under Andic, Mango became a global powerhouse of fashion, selling high-fashion clothing at affordable prices. As of 2023, the company turnover of Mango was 3.1 billion euros with 33% of the business coming from online sales. The brand is found in more than 120 countries around the world, with a great presence across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

With a net worth of $4.5 billion, Andic was not just an entrepreneurial success but also one of the most influential players in the global fashion market. He was non-executive chairman of Mango at the time of his death.

The death of Isak Andic has sent tributes from colleagues, business leaders, and government officials. Salvador Illa, the head of the regional government of Catalonia, acknowledged that Andic had been a great contributor to Catalonia and the global fashion industry. He posted on social media, “He leaves an indelible mark on the Catalan and global fashion sector.” Illa noted that Andic had put Catalonia on the world map through his management of Mango.