h_ e_ by mango

The Catalan fashion retailer Mango closed 2014 with a profit of €107 million, 11.2% less than in 2013, when the multinational based in Greater Barcelona earned €120.5 million. However, sales last year increased by 9.3%, reaching some €2.02 billion, with 82% coming from foreign markets, and the remaining 18% from the Spanish market. Online sales turnover now accounts for 9.1% of the company's total sales. In 2014, Mango created 2,331 jobs worldwide, representing a 17% increase on 2013 figures, and 28% of those jobs were in Spain. The company currently has over 15,700 employees worldwide. In 2015, it plans to invest €300 million in opening new stores, renovation work on existing stores, and logistic and IT systems.

The 080 Barcelona Fashion Week of 2015 is being held in the Catalan capital, showcasing the winter collections of new talent. Its first day ended with the blossoming summer creations by the Catalan multinational retail Mango. This year, all the vibrant catwalks are developed within Barcelona’s Maritime Museum, located within a striking Gothic building that was the former Royal Shipyard during the Middle-Ages (known as the Drassanes Reials). This week, more than thirty brands and designers, from Catalonia, Spain and throughout the world, exhibit their Fall/Winter 2015 collections until the 5^th of February.

The Born Cultural Centre has been selected as the venue to host the latest edition of the 080 Barcelona Fashion Week, from the 27^th until the 31^st of January where the newest collections for Fall/Winter 2014-2015 will be showcased. In the show’s 13^th edition, more than thirty designers and brands are ready to participate from Albéniz to Zazo & Brull to already established names such as Custo Barcelona, Desigual, Mango, Sita Murt, TCN or Punto Blanco. The fashion show will take over different spaces inside the Born Cultural Centre leading to the closure of the cultural and historical centre, which has closed its doors to the public from the 25^th to the 1^st of February 2014.

The investment is to be added to the €360 million plan to build a new logistic park for the Catalan multinational within the next 10 years. Construction work on the logistic park started in February in an area near Mango’s world headquarters, which are located in Greater Barcelona’s town of Palau-solità i Plegamans. The €27 million investment announced on Wednesday is for a new industrial building that will begin construction this summer next to the company’s main offices. It will host the all the staff in charge of Mango’s new lines for teenagers and mature women – respectively called ‘Rebels’ and ‘Violeta’ – as well as the company’s brand for men ‘H.E. by Mango’. The new facilities will add 17,000 square metres to Mango’s headquarters.

The Catalan clothing company Mango had a €1.69 billion turnover last year, which is a 20% increase on 2011 data. 84% of the company’s revenue comes from outside Spain. During 2012, the Catalonia-based company opened 197 shops or retail corners worldwide, 180 of which were outside Spain. By the end of the year, Mango had 2,600 shops in 107 countries, with more than 12,000 employees all over the world. In 2013, the Catalan company will enter four new markets: Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Mongolia and Zimbabwe. In addition, it has planned to invest €265 million in opening new selling points, reforming shops and improving its logistics and information systems.

The Director General of the Catalan fashion retailer, Enric Casi, had already warned that the MANGO's profits in 2011 would be lower than usual due to its extensive investments and expansions abroad. In 2012, the company expects a profit of €200 million due to the investments and has already seen positive results for the first months of this year. The successful multinational was founded in Barcelona in 1984 and has over 2,400 outlets in 107 countries and over 11,000 employees.

During four intense days, the ceremonial hall of the old Palau del Rei (King’s Palace) of Barcelona, the Saló del Tinell, became a catwalk full of glitter, aromas and, above all, glamour.

Barcelona’s independent fashion fair kicks off this week, running from Wednesday 25th to Saturday 28th. The fall-winter 2012/2013 collections of prestigious brands and designers such as Desigual, Pierre Cardin or Mango will be presented in the centre of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter in the Plaça del Rei (King’s Square) and the Saló del Tinell, inside the former King’s Palace.

The FC Barcelona football player Gerard Piqué and the Catalan retail company announced the news today. Piqué will represent the brand for the next two seasons. In doing so, Mango plans to promote its male clothing section.