Established in 1996, Jimmy Choo is a pioneering, luxury accessories house. Founded by Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat, a Malaysian fashion designer based in the United Kingdom. The brand originated as an East London atelier, specialising in hand-crafted shoes; today it’s a global powerhouse with artisanal craft at its heart and an aesthetic grounded in modern glamour.
Jimmy was born in 1948 in the Crown Colony of Penang (now part of Malaysia) into a family of shoemakers of Hakka Chinese descent. Choo's father, a shoemaker who made all of his shoes by hand, taught him the craft. He made his first pair of slippers when he was just 11 years old.
Between 1982 and 1984, he studied at Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney (now part of the London College of Fashion) in London. He went to a design firm to work after graduation, wishing to remain in London permanently instead of returning to Malaysia. After college, he worked at two design companies for a total of nine years before starting his own business with the help of the Prince's Trust. Jimmy's parents came to London to help him get started, and he opened his first shop in 1986, renting space in the old Metropolitan Hospital in North London.
His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed at London Fashion Week. After seeing his creations, Vogue featured his shoes in an eight page spread. Choo has said that his designs became significantly more popular after the Vogue coverage. Patronage from Princess Diana in the early 1990s further bolstered his image.
Encompassing more than 200 boutiques, Jimmy Choo also has a presence in the most prestigious department and specialty stores worldwide. The collections are now conceived by Creative Director Sandra Choi, who mastered the art of bespoke shoemaking from her uncle, Mr. Jimmy Choo, at his London-based studio. Sandra’s approach combines imagination and the joy of design with her incomparable expertise and innate understanding of product design. Each piece is designed in the London studio and brought to life by master artisans committed to upholding the highest standards of excellence; with the majority of production in the brand’s factories near Florence.
Reese Witherspoon has revealed she kept her entire wardrobe from Legally Blonde, including 77 pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes.Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, the 43-year-old actor explained she kept a few souvenirs from the set of the cult film, which came out in 2001.
He has been granted an OBE, honorary doctorates and numerous awards for his contribution to the footwear design industry, and contribution to education of future designers.
