I was an England star but quit football to launch fashion brand – now I make £35m-a-year and have an Oxford Street shop
IN 2013, unfulfilled by his football career, Reece Wabara decided to set up a clothing line as a side-project.
The former Man City right-back ploughed £15,000 into fashion label Maniere De Voir, after taking on advice from school pal Lewis Morgan, who co-founded leisure wear giant Gym Shark.
“I kept asking, where can I maximise my potential to be great,” he told The Times back in 2021.
“I always had a way of dressing that was different and Lewis (Morgan, co-founder of Gymshark) said to me, ‘You should do something in fashion’.”
Some ten years later, the company is now turning over a staggering £34.7million-per-year.
It has clothed sports stars including Anthony Joshua and Raheem Sterling, while Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards is also a fan.
Better still, it has just opened its first flagship store on London’s Oxford Street – with queues forming around the block.
Choosing a different destiny
Football was in Reece’s blood.
His grandfather Lawrence played for Nigeria, while his uncle Mark Walters starred for Rangers and Liverpool.
At 16, he was scouted by Man City. Three years later, he was handed a £1million-per-year three-year contract.
But, he had a sense he could achieve much more.
He saved up £15,000 and launched online clothes store Maniere De Voir, inspired by a chat with his dad.
“I signed to Manchester City at a transitional period, there was two or three managers in the time I was there and two or three owners too,” Wabara said.
“I knew my football days at City were coming to an end and my dad always taught me I needed a second option to ensure you’re relevant and financially stable.
“I founded MDV in late 2013 and launched a collection, the first clothing I produced was tracksuits, T-shirts, hoodies…I put them on the footballers that I knew and it took off.”
In 2017, at the age of 26, following a spell at Bolton Wanderers, former England U20 international Wabara decided to hang up his boots and concentrate on his business.
“The transition from footballer to fashion owner was a gradual one and only when the numbers and politics in football started to eat away at me did I need to make a choice,” he told Sports On Screen.
“My football wasn’t progressing in the way I intended it to.
“The business was progressing at an alarming rate and I had to choose one or the other because focus is important.”
Success story
Wabara, who is originally from Bromsgrove, Worcs, put his life and soul into his new project – working seven days a week.
Initial turnover was slow. So, he had to revert to a ‘Plan B’.
Noticing that the Sports Luxe market was male-dominated, he introduced womenswear to Maniere De Voir.
“Men are very simple by nature,” he said.
“There’s only so much you can do with those silhouettes.
“Whereas women are more experimental – and they shop a lot more, typically.”
The decision paid dividends.
From his first year turnover of £1million, some seven years later he was raking in £30.2million.
Today, that number has swollen to a staggering £34.7million.
The numbers catapulted Reece into last year’s Young Rich List in the Sunday Times – with a personal fortune of £26million, above footballer Marcus Rashford and level with rapper Stormzy’s net worth.
And there’s more…
Earlier in the year, Maniere De Voir signed a 10-year lease for the entire 5,189 sq ft retail space at 354 Oxford Street.
“We are delighted to announce Oxbourne House as our London Flagship store,” Wabara revealed.
“We strongly believe that the balance between online and physical retail space is key to growing and solidifying a brand that stands the test of time.
“We hope to weave ourselves into the fabric of the high street’s resurgence, inspiring other successful online pure plays to become a part of the iconic location which is Oxford Street.”
Already a buzz has been created – with queues of fashion fans lining up on the street to get a glimpse inside.
Football may have provided Reece with a platform, but it was his business acumen and eye for fashion that earned him his enormous wealth.
Now, he is taking over the high-street. Watch out JD Sports.