Late Mango founder to be honored with Catalan government's highest award

The Catalan government will honor the career of the late Mango founder Isak Andic with its highest award, the Gold Medal. 

The announcement was made by Catalan President Salvador Illa, who described Andic as an "exemplary entrepreneur".

"I would like to acknowledge the enormous contribution he has made to creating wealth," Illa said Monday night.

Andic died on Saturday in an accident while hiking in Collbató, on the southern slopes of Montserrat.

Isak Andic

Born in Istanbul (Turkey) in 1953, Andic emigrated with his family to Barcelona during his youth.

He founded Mango in 1984, a company that would become one of the most recognized fashion brands worldwide, with a presence in over 100 countries and hundreds of stores around the globe.

The success of the company made him the wealthiest Catalan, with a fortune of €2.7 billion in 2023.

He received numerous awards, such as the Creu de Sant Jordi, the Gold Medal for Merit in Labour, the National Fashion Award, and the Medal of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce.

He was currently serving as the non-executive president of Mango.