Jimmy Choo Shoes
- Posted by: angeli.krohmal
How did a sincere love of craft instilled in his family help a boy from a humble Malaysian family become a global shoe favorite and socialite? This is the story of a hereditary shoemaker whose creations are synonymous with the words "luxury", "glamor", "comfort" and "elegance". Let's talk about Jimmy Choo, Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to the shoe industry.
From a very young age, Jimmy (he was actually recorded as Choo at birth by mistake - the family's real surname was Chow, of Chinese origin) watched his father make boots, shoes and boots. This became the starting point for everything the designer does in his life. Already at the age of 11 he managed to make his first pair of shoes by himself. As the designer himself admits, his father at the initial stages of his training made him watch and memorize the smallest details of the technique more than give something to repeat in practice. Perhaps this influenced the level of his diligence and meticulousness during the creation of shoes, which are famous not only for their exquisite design, but also for their incredible comfort.
When it was time to get an education the young man did not hesitate at all, choosing the profession of shoe designer. His father helped him to enter London, but the student years were not carefree, as the training for Jimmy was paid and he worked a lot of part-time. Nevertheless, feeling a great passion for his occupation, the young man graduated with honors and decided to stay in England.
For some time, the young master created shoes for the now unknown brand Lucky Shoes, which allowed him to create a small start-up capital. This money was enough to rent an abandoned former hospital in a remote area - the place was gloomy and unsightly, but Jimmy cared more about what he could offer to his future customers, so he spent his time setting up the premises in the last place. Word of mouth spread quickly about the new shoe shop. Soon, for shoes Jimmy Choo in line became not just customers, and the English nobility - up to Princess Diana. She became one of the designer's muses and even a friend, they met quite often, discussing new trends in the world of fashionable shoes. Partly thanks to Lady Di, the sling-back shoe model became so popular at that time.
Jimmy, being a true friend of Diana, still keeps the last pair of shoes made especially for her. He had to meet Lady Di and hand her the shoes just before her tragic death. The designer says he will never give or sell the model, no matter how many times it is tried to be taken from him - it is a tribute to the Princess of Hearts.
So the news reached Vogue - Tamara Mellon, the assistant editor-in-chief, expressed her desire to meet the new star in the fashion sky. Seeing the potential in the young entrepreneur, she offered Jimmy cooperation and assistance in running the fledgling company, and even some financial investment from her father. It was her feminine hand that made more adjustments to the underground workshop behind barbed wire, while simultaneously building an effective strategy to develop such talent. Eventually Tamara became the company's art director and contracts were signed for production in Italian factories. Soon Jimmy's niece Sandra, who, like her uncle, dreamed of becoming a designer, joined the company. Eventually she found herself in the creation of sketches and designs of shoes and all other shoes for the brand Jimmy, who was very pleased that his niece showed the spirit of creativity combined with talent and hard work. The female part of the team took care of the organizational issues: from finding authentic kraft materials of the best quality to additional investors and production facilities.
Soon after, in 1998, the first full-fledged shoe store of Jimmy Choo brand was opened in a prestigious area of London, which instantly became super popular - the interior of the store initially set the bar high and showed customers all the luxury hidden in shoe boxes with the name Jimmy Choo. This great start was followed by the conquest of the USA: almost simultaneously boutiques were opened in Los Angeles and New York. American celebrities very highly appreciated the products of the London master. Almost immediately A-list stars began to appear at ceremonies and parties wearing Jimmy's shoes. The brand became even more popular after Jimmy Choo shoes were chosen by costume designers of the legendary TV series "Sex and the City", in which the main character Carrie Bradshaw (and many other characters) repeatedly appeared in exquisite outfits, which were perfectly complemented by Jimmy's shoes.
Reese Witherspoon is also a fan of the brand - according to some reports, she took all the shoes given to her character in the movie "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" after filming.
In the new millennium, the brand is undergoing global changes. Having decided that the vision of the company's development is different, Jimmy and Tamara decide to separate. The founder himself retains the right to create certain products under his own name, while Tamara Mellon and Jimmy's niece, who remains with her as art director, also develop the existing brand without changes.
In 2011 Tamara decided to start her own footwear brand and left the company, in which she had invested a lot of energy and ideas and which had become really successful, popular and significant by her standards.
Much more accessories started to appear in the brand's assortment, there was a big emphasis on different bags. In particular Sandra, who decided to continue to lead the creation of all Jimmy Choo products even after the original team broke up, began to expand the footwear range. From an extremely classic holiday label of stiletto shoes, the brand became youthful, slightly extravagant and even a little futuristic: now snake-print sneakers, booties, brutal combat boots and even flip flops.
The founder realized that he was not quite comfortable with the strategy chosen by the now big luxury brand and decided to step back from the business, narrowing his activities to the production of super premium models within another personal brand Jimmy Choo Couture in London. Jimmy, as a true artisan, wanted to create unique models, without putting them on the stream, and as a consequence, without devaluing the spirit of handmade shoes for each unique client. Today he is approached by royalty from many countries with unique orders, which Jimmy is happy to take on.
In addition, the designer turned his attention to the production of perfumes: Jimmy Choo brand fragrances are an olfactory reflection of the designer's masterpieces - sophisticated and glamorous at the same time.
Jimmy also began to pay more attention to men's collections. In addition, he was inspired by the development of wedding fashion and created a whole collection of shoes for the most important day in every woman's life.
Being a man consumed by beauty and art, Jimmy has also turned his attention to cooking. He is the founder of Maximini, a gourmet restaurant in London.
Realizing the importance of education, Jimmy began to share his knowledge in the field of shoe creation. The shoe maestro believes that an aspiring designer not only needs to work very hard, but also to have a good mentor to show both the practical nuances and the right direction of personal development in such a hypostasis as a creative craftsman - and on top of that, you also need to be sure that the idea is really worth the effort. He founded elite private lessons for gifted students - future designers and without a doubt becomes a personal mentor for those in whom he sees real talent, no matter whether it is a designer of shoes or accessories or any other artist. He is also a professor at the London College of Fashion.
Jimmy often flies to his homeland, for his compatriots he is a national hero. In current times, the designer has increased his activities in Asia, happy to share his knowledge there and to fulfill rare and unique commissions.
Jimmy Choo, having traveled a legendary path from the son of a shoemaker from a poor family to the great creator of iconic footwear, believes that everyone needs support. It is for this, and not just for his stunning shoes, that his customers love him: from queens and first ladies to film and theater actresses.
Jimmy Choo is one of the world's most renowned designers of premium footwear. His creations breathe glamor and modern elegance, and the comfort of the fit of each model is legendary. Jimmy is a hereditary shoemaker, so you can be absolutely sure not only in the beauty, but also in the quality of shoes from the famous master. In this selection we focus on just a few models, but there are many times more shoes and you'll find the right pair of Jimmy shoes in any case.
