Mango vice-chair Jonathan Andic has temporarily stepped down from the fashion retailer after reportedly being named as a suspect in the investigation into the death of his father, founder Isak Andic.

The Spanish court last week named Andic as a suspect after his father died in December 2024, having fallen more than 100 metres from a cliff while the pair were hiking in the mountains outside Barcelona.

In an open letter, Jonathan Andic strongly denied any wrongdoing and said he was stepping back from his role to focus on defending himself.

“A public narrative has been constructed that is one-sided, taken out of context and distorted, and which has created a perception of guilt that bears no relation to reality,” he said.

“I know that dismantling it will require time, effort and intense dedication.”

Andic was appointed executive vice-president of Mango’s holding company in January 2025, around six weeks after his father’s death.

According to the judge’s writ, there was ‘sufficient evidence’ to suggest the death may not have been accidental and that Jonathan Andic may have played an “active and premeditated role”.

The writ also alleged that the relationship between father and son had deteriorated and referred to WhatsApp messages said to show “feelings of hatred, resentment and thoughts of death”, as well as blame directed towards his father.

Jonathan Andic rejected that portrayal of their relationship.

“We shared many happy, cherished and loving moments together,” he wrote.

“As is the case in so many families, we have also faced difficult and challenging times, which we have overcome through great effort, generosity and support.”

Mango’s board issued a statement backing Andic, saying it had “full confidence that the legal proceedings will be resolved favourably” and hoped the matter would be concluded “as swiftly as possible”.

The case comes at a sensitive time for Mango, one of Spain’s biggest fashion retailers, following the death of its founder and the subsequent leadership transition inside the family-owned business.

Isak Andic founded Mango and built it into an international fashion group with operations across major global markets. His death in December was initially reported as a hiking accident, before Spanish prosecutors later reopened the investigation.