"The right pair of shoes can change everything"
- Jimmy Choo
A shoemaker from birth
Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat was born in the Malaysian city of Penang in 1948. Although his family's surname is actually Chow, a clerk made a mistake when registering his birth - hence he now uses the surname Choo.
Raised in traditional Asian values, he knew that his life's destiny was to follow in his father's footsteps - a shoemaker. Young Jimmy had been watching his father's work in awe for years. He was not allowed to touch the tools or shoes, his task was careful observation of every move of the master. At the age of 11, Jimmy Choo made his first pair of shoes. And so, in patient observation and respect for tradition, a true genius was born, a shoe design that women dream of all over the world.
Time for London
Choo moved to London, where he graduated from Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney. His path through studying was not easy. To sustain himself in the capital of Great Britain, the shoemaker worked as a waiter, and also helped clean in a shoe factory. As an exemplary student, Choo graduated with honors. Asian humility and persistence in pursuing his designated goal made Choo know well that peace of mind will only come at the moment of achieving perfection in his field of specialization.
After finishing his education, Choo decided to set up his own shoemaking workshop. He chose an old building that was once part of a hospital for his workshop. He didn't have to wait long for his fame. Just two years after setting up the shop, Choo's craftsmanship was showcased in British Vogue, and his work was also appreciated by the biggest fashion lover in the UK, Princess Diana.
From a workshop to a real manufactory
Although the activity of the Malaysian shoemaker was appreciated in London, Choo still only ran a small business producing small pieces of everyday art. The change came in 1996, when one of the editors of British Vogue, Tamara Mellon, dealing with fashion accessories, decided to help the unrecognized genius. She founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with the designer, which started working on serious shoe collections. Choo's niece, Sandra Choi, who now serves as the brand's creative director, was also involved in the collaboration.
Jimmy Choo Ltd departed from the assumption that Choo himself will hand-make each pair of shoes. The most respected Italian shoemakers were invited to cooperate, and top-tier leathers, satins and sequins were used in production. The foundation of the brand was one - to create a luxury shoe brand for the chosen ones.
Thanks to the magazine's investment, the shoes conquered the Hollywood red carpet, as well as the feet of stars such as Julia Roberts or Renee Zellweger.
Choo Couture
In 2001, Choo withdrew from Jimmy Choo Ltd, leaving his company in the hands of his talented niece Sandra. "I believe it's important for a designer to have his own couture line. I left the ready-to-wear collection to the team and partners," says the designer himself.
After years of working on the footwear line, the brand implements the strategy set by Mellon - today, shoes from Jimmy Choo are associated with luxury of the highest standard of fashion. Choo's heels are sensual and enticing, emphasizing feminine delicacy and elegance.
When creating the couture collection, Choo focuses on shoes for special occasions. His passion and task is to create shoes that can only be worn once. In his designs, he rarely uses leather - much more often he uses materials such as silk, satin or sequins.
For over 16 years, the designer has been doing what he loves most - handcrafting unique works of art of shoemaking craftsmanship, which adorn the feet of celebrities and the stars of show business.
"I love the concept of creating couture fashion and the act of creation itself. It's this design that made my name famous and I would like it to stay that way for this reason."
