The founder of Spain's leading fashion company, Mango - Isak Andic Ermay, tragically passed away at 71 years of age, on December 14, 2024 in a mountain accident.
According to reports from the local media, Ermay slipped and fell from the cliff in the Montserrat caves in Barcelona. Spanish outlet El Pais reported that Ermay fell down a ravine near the Salnitre caves into an "area of difficult access". The incident occured while he was with his son, Jonathan Andic.
Mango's official X account shared the news soon after.
Isak Andic was Turkish-born Spanish billionaire and businessman who holds the position of 750th richest man in the world. Andic was also declared by Forbes to have a net worth of US$4.5 billion.
Andic came from humble beginnings in the fashion world. Keep reading to learn about Isak Andic's story.
The legacy of Isak Andic: Personal life, achievements, and influence
Isak Andic was originally born in Istanbul, Turkey to a Sephardic Jewish family. He and his family then moved to Barcelona, Spain in 1969 and started a fashion business that would later transform into an international fashion brand.
Mango was started by Isak Andic and his brother. They began by selling hand-embroidered "Made in Turkey" T-shirts and clogs. Later on, they launched their own brand, "Isak Jeans" and added other brands into the shop as well.
Andic decided to name the store 'Mango' after tasting the fruit during one of his trips to the Philippines. In 1984, all of the stores under Isak and his brother were renamed to Mango. The company went on to become one of the biggest fast-fashion houses in Spain. However, Turkey, Isak's home country holds the largest number of Mango stores up until 2022 (70 stores).
Besides his role and influence on Mango, Andic was also involved in other businesses. In 2006, he was appointed as the director of Banco Sabadell and by 2012, Andic became one of the biggest shareholders in the company with a 7% stake.
Forbes announced Andic as the richest man in Catalonia in 2023. Whereas, in 2010, Andic was named the 32nd richest Jew in the world.
Regarding Isak Andic's personal life, he was married and divorced to Neus Raig Tarragó, and they have three children. The eldest son, Jonathan Andic was named as Mango's heir in 2012. His second daughter, Judith Andic also works for her father's clothing company.
In addition to his previous achievements, Andic is also involved with academics and education. He was a member of IESE's International Advisory Board (IAB). which is a Catholic graduate business school under the University of Navarra in Barcelona.
Following this tragic accident, Andic's body was retrieved with the help of the Catalan regional law enforcement, Mossos d'Esquadra.
Spain's Prime Minister also paid tribute to Andic following the tragedy as he hailed the entrepreneur for his hard work and business vision that transformed a Spanish brand into a global fashion leader.
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Isak Andic's passing at 71 years old leaves a huge void in the fashion world. However, the legacy he has built with Mango under his leadership and influence will definitely inspire the next generation of fashion enterpreneurs.
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