Sebastian Manes is the buying and merchandising director at British department store Selfridges, having overseen a multi-million-dollar overhaul to its footwear and accessories departments, and spearheaded innovation and a focus on millennial consumers.
Manes began his career as an assistant store manager at the Gucci store in Cannes in 1996, and then moved to Kahut France, where he was managing director and business partner. He then became an agent for brands including Lanvin, Céline and Sonia Rykiel in ex-USSR countries. Manes joined Selfridges in 2003 as senior accessories buyer and rose through the ranks, becoming buying and merchandising director in 2013.
Throughout his years at Selfridges, he has initiated or helped with a number of large-scale projects following a £300 million investment announced in 2014 by the store’s owner, Selfridges Group. These include the launch of the Shoe Galleries, billed in 2010 as the world’s largest shoe department at 35,000 square feet; a new accessories hall covering over 60,000 square feet; a dedicated space to sneakers within the newly renovated shoe floor; and the launch of the Designer Studio — home to streetwear and emerging labels — and the Body Studio, housing lingerie, pyjamas, activewear and swimwear.
Manes lives in London with his wife and two children.
