Isak Andic posthumously receives the Government of Catalonia Gold Medal

• The founder of Mango has been honoured in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the world of fashion and his outstanding economic contribution to the region.
• The award was collected by Toni Ruiz, Mango Chairman and CEO, who gratefully accepted the award on behalf of the Andic family and the company.
• Similarly, the President of the Government of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, underlined the significance of Isak Andic's career, highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit and passion that drove him to found Mango in 1984.

Isak Andic, founder of Mango, has been posthumously awarded the Government of Catalonia Gold Medal (Medalla d’Or) by its President, Salvador Illa, for his extraordinary contribution to the world of fashion and his outstanding economic contribution to the region. The ceremony, held in the emblematic Saló Sant Jordi, paid tribute to the entrepreneur and visionary who turned Mango into a global symbol of fashion.

The award, the highest distinction given by the Government of Catalonia, was collected by Toni Ruiz, President and CEO of Mango, who gratefully accepted the award on behalf of the Andic family and the company. "Since his arrival in the late 1960s, Isak made Barcelona his city. Here he found the ideal conditions for the creation of Mango 40 years ago and throughout his life he maintained a commitment to the economic, social and cultural development of Catalonia, creating wealth, employment and collaborating with numerous social entities in our country. His great wish was for Mango's success to serve as an example to encourage entrepreneurial spirit and aspire to create prosperity for many people and serve society", Ruiz highlighted in his speech.

For his part, President Illa underlined the significance of Andic's career, highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit and passion that drove him to found Mango in 1984, and his involvement in Barcelona and Catalonia, consolidating Mango as one of the leading international companies in the fashion sector.

Isak Andic Ermay was born in 1953 in Istanbul into a Sephardic Jewish family. He moved to Barcelona in his youth, where he began his business career in the 1970s, selling clothes imported from Turkey in markets and small shops. In 1984, he founded Mango, opening his first store on Barcelona's Paseo de Gracia. Under his leadership, Mango grew rapidly, becoming a leading international fashion company, with a presence in over 120 countries and more than 2,850 stores worldwide.

The Government of Catalonia Gold Medals, which were created in 1978, distinguish those who have rendered eminent and extraordinary services in the political, social, economic, cultural or scientific spheres. In 2023, this prestigious award was given to the singer Maria del Mar Bonet, the cultural activist and publisher Eliseu Climent and the poet Marta Pessarrodona.