Last December 16 at 9 in the morning, the day after the accident that ended his life, we published in Informalia a news item titled “The enigma of the ‘fourth son’ of Isak Andic, the founder of Mango: Who is Henry , which is also in the will?” That December 16, while the sky over Montserrat still picked up the echo of a broken silence, the headlines began to spread like sharp knives. A brief and sober obituary published in the newspapers revealed a mystery that few expected but this digital deciphered: the name of Henry Suarezincluded along with the tycoon’s biological children Andic sobbedappeared with the same familiarity as an intruding star in the family firmament. Henry, the godson of the founder of Mango, became, from one day to the next, one of the most enigmatic figures in the life of the deceased businessman
Isak Andic, a self-made man, had carved his life like someone who built an empire through will and talent. From Istanbul, where he was born in 1953, to the luxurious offices of Palau Solità i Plegamans, the businessman wove a narrative of success that crossed continents. But what no one anticipated was the existence of this ‘fourth son’, who does not carry his blood but does carry his consideration in the spiritual and also material testament.
Henry Suárez was not raised in the mansions or under the spotlight of Barcelona’s high society. The son of an Ecuadorian mother and a Turkish father, Suárez grew up with the mix of faiths and cultures that also defined Andic. Perhaps it was this affinity of origins, this melting pot of influences, that sealed a deep bond between the two. A close friend of Isak tells us that “Henry, at 48 years old, was not only Andic’s godson: he was part of his emotional legacy, someone who shared that rare ability to turn a dream into something palpable,” he explains.
Calculated Simplicity
At the funeral chapel, where Isak Andic lay in a bare pine box, Henry received condolences as if he were one of the heirs. Nobody questioned it; few, in fact, seemed to notice the detail. The minimalist elegance of the coffin contrasted with the complexity that was now revealed in the pages of the magnate’s life. A body contained in unvarnished wood, a Star of David marking the entrance to an eternity that he had always respected without fervently embracing.
Henry was part of the family, tells us the same source who told us why the founder of Mango had met his son in Montserrat that Saturday: to make peace after some disagreements. For Isak, “the family was not always defined by biology, but by loyalty, connection and, above all, affection,” this good friend of the deceased businessman reveals.
With a professional career that mixes creativity and pragmatism, Henry Suárez had built a career in silence. His time at Mango, Nike and Javier Mariscal’s studio had shaped him as a designer, but it was his own company, Blanca Beltz, that put him on the industry’s radar. In this interior design consultancy, Henry seemed to follow in the footsteps of his godfather: creating universes in which people could find their best version, whether in a store, a restaurant or a commercial space.
Beyond his professional life, Henry formed a family nucleus with Eider Madariaga, journalist and photographer, and his nine-year-old daughter Lea. That “oasis house” in Barcelona was a reflection of his vision of the world: a space that balanced the mundane with the sublime, the practical with the poetic. The revelation of Henry Suárez and his family shook, in some way, the classic scheme of the Andic lineage. The businessman’s biological children, Jonathan, Judith and Sarah, each represented a facet of their father’s legacy. Jonathan, the firstborn, had been designated as the natural heir to the business, but not without setbacks. The decisions he made at the head of Mango, in a critical period, almost collapsed the empire that his father and uncle Nahman had built with so much effort. However, time and maturity allowed him to redeem himself, and in recent years, father and son had found a balance, both personal and professional. The figure of Toni Ruiz, CEO of Mango and Isak’s trusted man, became the pillar that would ensure the continuity of the company. Judith and Sarah, for their part, chose less visible but equally significant paths. Both had contributed to the creative and ethical development of Mango, and although they were now removed from the operational structure, they remained part of the board that looked after the future of the company.
In life, Isak Andic had sailed not only on luxury yachts, but also in the most turbulent waters of high society. His list of romantic relationships was as extensive as the pages of a gossip magazine, but his bond with Stephanie Knuth, his last partner, seemed to have been the deepest. Stephanie, who cried inconsolably in the funeral home, represented the romantic epilogue of a life full of lights and shadows.
However, it was Henry who, in his discretion, seemed to have inherited something more valuable than material goods: the very essence of Isak. While the official heirs distributed shares, property and tangible memories, Henry remained a living testimony of the businessman’s vision.
Beyond the will
Henry’s inclusion in the official obituary raised an inevitable question: would he also appear in the will? With assets estimated at 4.5 billion euros, Isak Andic’s inheritance promised to be a topic of public interest. But, beyond the money, what really seemed to have left Henry was something intangible: the recognition of being part of his world, his history, his chosen family.
At the farewell that took place at the Mango headquarters, Henry was next to his biological children, offering condolences and sharing a mourning that was not only for the loss of a man, but of a father in the broadest sense of the word. .
A life of a novel
Isak Andic’s story always had the feel of a novel: from his humble beginnings in Istanbul to the top of the business world, passing through the episodes of love, betrayal and reconciliation that marked his personal life. The inclusion of Henry Suárez in this narrative is, perhaps, the last unexpected chapter, a twist that adds depth to an already fascinating story.
And so, while the world continues to turn and Mango stores continue to clothe millions, the figure of Isak Andic remains in memory, not only as a brilliant businessman, but as a man capable of transcending the barriers of blood to build a truly human legacy.
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