Irvine Gerald Sellar (3 September 1934 – 26 February 2017) was an English fashion retailer, and later property developer. He was the founder of the Sellar Property Group, and the developer of The Shard.
Sellar was born on 3 September 1934[1] in London, England.[2][3][4]
He worked with his father on markets in and around the East End of London.[5][6]
Sellar started his career as a market trader before opening his first shop in St Albans. A second shop followed in Soho's Wardour Street in 1964. The following year, along with his wife Elizabeth, a third shop was opened on Carnaby Street,[4] a parade that was to become a worldwide Mecca for fashion, helping to define London's swinging 60s.
Meanwhile, he founded the first unisex fashion company in the United Kingdom,[4] Mates by Irvine Sellars.[6] The company later became "Britain’s second-biggest fashion chain,"[5] with 90 shops in 1981. That year, he sold it to a South African investor.[6]
Sellar founded Ford Sellar Morris, a property company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Sellar borrowed £111m in 1989 and,[4] because of a property downturn in 1991, the company went bankrupt in 1991-92,[5] when Sellar lost £30 million.[6]
Sellar founded the Sellar Property Group. He acquired the headquarters of PwC in London Bridge in 1998.[5] That year, he acquired the site of what would later become The Shard.[6] With 80% from Qatari investors, Sellar completed the construction of The Shard in 2012. He subsequently developed buildings near Paddington Station.[5]
In December 2016, his plan to develop the 19-storey Paddington Cube for £775 million was approved by Westminster City Council.[7]
With his wife Elizabeth,[6] Sellar had two sons, James, who went on to serve as chairman of SPG, and Paul, a playwright, as well as a daughter, Caroline.[4][5]
In 2015, Irvine and James Sellar had an estimated joint wealth of GBP£220 million.[8] Sellar was a black belt in judo, drove a Rolls-Royce and smoked cigars.[4]
