FAST DOWNLOAD
The fashion world is in mourning following the death of Isak Andic, the visionary founder of Mango, the iconic Spanish fast fashion brand. Andic died on December 14, 2024, at the age of 71 , as a result of a tragic accident that occurred during a hike in the Montserrat mountain range, near Barcelona.
According to initial reports, the businessman suffered a fall from a considerable height while enjoying a family activity.
The news was confirmed by Toni Ruiz, CEO of Mango, who expressed his regret in an official statement, highlighting the impact and legacy that Andic left both in the industry and in the company he founded.
Biography of Isak Andic
Isak Andic Ermay was born in 1953 in Istanbul, Turkey, to a Sephardic Jewish family. In 1968, at the age of just 14, he emigrated to Barcelona with his family in search of better opportunities, leaving behind the economic difficulties they were experiencing in their home country.
From a young age, Andic showed his entrepreneurial spirit. At 17, he began selling hippie-style shirts and clothing at local markets, which marked the beginning of his career in the fashion world.
In 1984, together with his brother Nahman Andic and businessman Enric Cusí, he founded Mango, a brand that quickly became a benchmark in the international fashion market.
The company’s name was inspired by a fruit Andic discovered during a trip to the Philippines, a symbol of freshness and originality. Under his leadership, Mango achieved global expansion, with more than 2,500 stores in 109 countries by 2012, and established itself as a key competitor to giants such as Inditex.
In addition to his business success, Andic has received numerous awards, including the Esade Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. He has also held prominent positions, including vice-presidency of Banco Sabadell and membership in the International Advisory Board of IESE, one of the most prestigious business schools in Spain.
Isak Andic’s wife and children
Isak Andic was married to Neus Raig Tarragó , with whom he had three children: Jonathan, Judith and Sarah. Jonathan, the eldest, has taken on strategic roles within Mango, ensuring the continuity of the family business.
Despite his fortune, estimated at 4.5 billion euros, Andic always remained discreet about his personal life. In his later years, however, he allowed more details to be revealed about his family and the dynamics behind his business success.
After his divorce from Neus, the Turkish businessman had relationships that he never confirmed or denied. One of them was with the Catalan stylist Zenaida Bufill Comadrán, with whom he was from 2005 to 2015, breaking up and admitting attempts at reconciliation before finally separating.
His last known partner is Estefanía Knuth , an amateur golf champion and Catalan businesswoman, with whom he began his relationship in 2018.
The departure of Isak Andic leaves a void in the fashion industry, but his legacy will live on through Mango, a brand that not only revolutionized fast fashion, but also became an emblem of Spanish entrepreneurship.
