WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF MTNG/MUSTANG?

The origins of Mustang can be traced back to the city of Elche, where the footwear industry, once thriving, had gradually become stagnant. During the 1960s, a new generation of entrepreneurs emerged in the city, full of ideas and determination to improve a social environment marked by many shortcomings. Pascual Ros was one of them. Thus, this brief history—which is also the story of his brand, Mustang—is a journey of more than 40 years through his entrepreneurial career.

Born into a humble agricultural family, Pascual Ros had to rely on his own efforts to achieve his goals. He got his first job at the age of 15 at Curtidos Candela, where he fell in love with a scent that would accompany him for the rest of his life: the smell of leather, which he delivered to various workshops throughout the city. He soon moved on to work as a cutter at Calzados Buendía before embarking on his own entrepreneurial venture at the age of 17. In a small premises that had previously been a gym on Pedro Canales Street in Elche, he established his first vulcanized footwear factory, Vulcanros, together with his sisters and brother-in-law. The major turning point came with the construction of a factory building on Joaquín García Mora Street. Under the name Pascual Ros Aguilar S.L., this facility became the true starting point of what would later become the Mustang adventure.

One could say that names somehow choose people, and the name Mustang—so closely associated with the idea of freedom embodied by the wild American horse breed—had always lived within him. It chose him for an entrepreneurial journey unlike any other in Elche.

After three years of intense work trying to grow the company, Pascual had to leave to complete his military service in Ceuta, entrusting the management of the business to his sister Bienvenida R. and his brother-in-law Paco N. Upon his return, he came back determined to pursue his true passion for exports, which would eventually lead him to open markets in different parts of the world. During these early years, the company manufactured and marketed footwear for major retail chains across the Americas, Africa, and Europe. The Mustang name was primarily used as part of the company’s image, although it was occasionally incorporated into the products themselves.

In 1969, Pascual participated in the first Spanish footwear trade mission, held in the basement of the Chamber of Commerce in Frankfurt, Germany. From that moment on, he began building a network of personal relationships that soon evolved into business partnerships and would mark the company’s international expansion. He surrounded himself with capable people who understood how to operate successfully in different markets and, above all, helped Mustang establish a foothold in the European footwear industry.

Despite the challenges posed by the 1973 economic crisis and Spain’s uncertain political climate, the project continued to move forward in the following years, albeit with some ups and downs, mainly due to the company’s heavy dependence on a small number of major clients.

At the beginning of the 1980s, the company underwent one of its most significant transformations when it relocated to a new headquarters on the road to Aspe, locally known as “El Butano.” At that time, Pascual Ros introduced a new way of understanding business, inspired by the factories he had visited during his frequent trips across Europe. The facility included rest areas for employees, healthcare services, a kitchen, and even a library.

All of this was aimed at fostering a new concept of the factory—one that felt more like a family of workers—while striving to improve the industrial landscape of Elche. These years of significant social and consumer market changes prompted another restructuring of the company. Mustang moved away from a rigid corporate structure and became better equipped to respond to the evolving needs of its customers. Pascual Ros recognized the various opportunities emerging in the footwear sector and, eager to capitalize on them, implemented a strategy based on specialized manufacturing lines. Although all operated under the Mustang commercial name, each had a different corporate identity and focused on specific types of footwear demanded by different countries. This strategy enabled the company to adapt more effectively to the requirements of each international market and soon yielded results, reaching sales of 9,000 pairs of shoes per day—a remarkable achievement at the time.

In the late 1980s, Pascual Ros faced one of the most difficult periods of his life, when his entrepreneurial dream was threatened by a serious back condition that left him inactive for a time and affected the company’s performance. However, the unwavering support of his wife, Conchita, who was always by his side, and the gradual involvement of his children—Pascual, Santi, Sergio, and María—in the business helped him return to professional life with a renewed determination. His goal was clear: to place his company where he truly believed it belonged, dedicating himself to it wholeheartedly. This marked a new phase of momentum for Pascual, allowing him to continue exercising his natural leadership, sharing his vision of the business with his children, and inspiring everyone around him to embrace the Mustang brand as passionately as he did.

With the arrival of Pascual Ros’s children into the company in the early 1990s, a strategic decision was made to strengthen the Mustang brand through its products. The focus shifted toward a younger audience, emphasizing brand awareness and positioning as key tools for achieving the company’s objectives.

The emergence of a growing new market segment—middle-class teenagers with greater purchasing power and influence over buying decisions—helped fuel significant growth during the second half of the 1990s.

During this period, Pascual Ros made successful investments in machinery to support the strong sales growth that followed. The company achieved notable success with collections such as “Oasis,” cowboy boots, and dress shoes. Above all, however, this growth was the result of the constant and dedicated work of the entire team that made up the company. One person in particular stood out: Mari Cruz, who had been deeply involved since the beginning and consistently defended the company’s interests. Everyone worked according to a principle that remains in place to this day:

“The company’s customers and suppliers are considered partners and, therefore, part of the project.”

According to Pascual Ros, this journey of more than 40 years rests on three fundamental pillars that have consolidated the Mustang brand into what it is today. First, the establishment of a fast-product culture—ensuring that products reached the market at exactly the right moment. Second, fostering close relationships with customers and employees alike, whom Pascual Ros always regarded as family and cared for accordingly. Finally, a steadfast commitment, time and again, to a long-term business project that enabled sustainable growth and the solidity the company enjoys today.

All of this was driven by one of the founder’s strongest personal convictions: believing in his brand more than anyone else, fighting for it until the very end, and always remembering a phrase he made his own:

“Without enthusiasm, there is no project.”