History Of Jimmy Choo

It was a belief that shoes were the least noticeable of a persons’ attire, particularly in women. Fashion consisted of dressing oneself up in top designer wear but with little attention to what you drape up your feet in. All these changed when Jimmy Choo entered the scene. Shoes designed by Jimmy Choo became a fashion statement. All of a sudden, the fashionable lot found that a perfectly well crafted shoe could transform your personality. No doubt, shoes then also were expensive and stylish. What he did was to bring art and class to the shoes. He single handedly changed the perception of people towards shoes from an afterthought to a fashionable accessory. Jimmy Choo is credited with bringing the gaze to the feet; and keeping it over there. It is said that with a pair of Jimmy Choo’s you don’t even need the clothes (literally, of course). This shows the tremendous effect that Jimmy Choo had on the fashion conscious. All those who are something or vying to be something, sport a pair of Jimmy Choo’s, as shutters and eyeballs turn in plenty.

Information On Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo is a Malaysian fashion designer who is based in London. He was born into a family of shoemakers and it is reported that at the age of 11 he made his first shoe. In the year 1983, Jimmy Choo graduated from the Cordwainers Technical College in London. In an interview, Mr. Choo said that to fund his college education he had to work part-time at restaurants and also as a cleaner at a shoe factory.

 

In 1986, Jimmy Choo opened a workshop in London Borough of Hackney by renting an old hospital building and it was there that his craftsmanship and designs came to notice. In the year 1988, the Vogue magazine featured his designs in an eight-page spread, which brought him worldwide recognition. Later, from the 1990s onwards he was patronized by a host of celebrities that enhanced his brand value further.

 

Then in the year 1996, he, along with the British Vogue accessories editor, Tamara Mellon, co-founded the Jimmy Choo Limited that very soon established itself as the last word in the high-end designer shoes. Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for 10 million pounds in the year 2001 and has since been working on the Jimmy Choo Couture line and Jimmy Choo Ready-To-Wear. He has also diversified into designing handbags. He is also involved in the setting up of a shoemaking institute in Malaysia.

 

Jimmy Choo is the recipient of numerous awards, the most famous being the Malaysian state award conferred by the Sultan of Pahang state with the title of Dato. He was also conferred the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, for his services to the fashion industry. He also holds the title Professor, awarded to him by the University of the Arts, London.

 

The Jimmy Choo shoe styles are varied. The day styles include the leather mules, pumps, boots and sling backs. The evening styles consist mostly of those designs that rise up the sex appeal. They are more elegant and unique. The most famous are the strappy sandals and those with beaded gems. He also designs leather bags the styles of which range from leather totes to hobo bags.

 

Some famous celebrities who patronized Jimmy Choo shoes are Madonna, who wore it at her wedding, Princess Diana, for whom he designed so many shoes that he lost the count and the Prince of Wales.

 

His passion for his work can be gauged from an incident, where it is said that he once worked non-stop for three days and nights, sewing beads on shoes in preparation for a show.