Jimmy Choo

Jimmy Choo Biography

Born: Penang, Malaysia, 1961

Born into a family of shoemakers, Jimmy Choo made his first shoe aged only 11. Studying at Cordwainer’s Technical College in London, now part of the London College of Fashion, Choo worked in restaurants and as a cleaner to support himself through College.

Graduating in 1983, Choo set up a handmade shoe business three years later in Hackney, East London. The quality and craftsmanship of his designs won him the attention of British Vogue, who featured Choo’s shoes in an unprecedented four-spread feature in 1988.

Choo’s company became a global success after he teamed up with Tamara Mellon, an accessories editor at Vogue. Together they formed Jimmy Choo Ltd in 1996 with Mellon appointed managing director and the brand went global.

In the late 1990s the television programme ‘ Sex and the City’ helped transform the business into iconic status. Featuring heavily in the programmes, the Jimmy Choo shoe became a status in popular culture. The huge success of the brand led to a menswear collection which launched in 1999.

In 2001 Choo sold his 50% stake in the business in order to concentrate on designing. Mellon carried on leading the company until 2004 when she sold the business to Phoenix Equity Partners.

From the original shop in London, there are now four stand alone stores in London, New York, Beverley Hills and Los Angeles as well as over 80 retail outlets.

Jimmy Choo has had a variety of rich and famous clients. Diana, Princess of Wales, Victoria Beckham and a list of other Hollywood celebrities have worn and owned his designs.

Glamorous and luxurious yet wearable shoes are what Jimmy Choo offers. All handmade, the expert craftsmanship is shown through the modern simple details that adorn the shoes. Feminine, elegant and consistently beautiful, Jimmy Choo creates shoes for the devoted shoe fanatic.

Jimmy Choo Biography