Jimmy Choo Shoes
Ladies around the world say high of the Jimmy Choo shoes for their classic design, fine craftmanship and surprising comfort. But not many of us got the idea of its company as well as the notable shoe designers.
Jimmy Choo Origins and Way to hit the world
When you buy a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes at a store like Bergdorf Goodman or Neiman Marcus, they may be gorgeous and they may bear the "Jimmy Choo" label, but the ready-to-wear shoes are not designed by Jimmy Choo. The famous designer sold his share of Jimmy Choo Ltd in 2001.
|
 |
Jimmy Choo was born in 1961 in Malaysia to a family of shoemakers and wasted no time getting his career started: He reportedly made his first pair of shoes at the age of 11. After moving to London and training at Cordwainers Technical College -- now part of the London College of Fashion -- Choo began to sell his handmade couture footwear in the late 1980s. Before long, his client list included famous names like Princess Diana, but his one-of-a-kind, handcrafted creations were out of reach for most women. The painstaking methods Choo used to create the shoes meant their availability was extremely limited.
|
|
|
That changed when Mellon approached Choo in 1996 with the idea of mass-marketing fashionable, high-quality footwear for women. In 1997, the two opened the first Jimmy Choo boutique in London and began selling ready-to-wear women's shoes that were designed by Choo and produced at factories in Italy.
It didn't take long for the company to find success: Celebrities, already familiar with Choo's handmade creations, snapped up the new line and quickly made the shoes a fixture on the red carpet, but it was "Sex and the City" that cemented Jimmy Choo's global fame. The popular HBO show's characters obsessed over the line's strappy sandals and sleek stilettos.
Since their immortalization on "Sex and the City," Jimmy Choo shoes have gone on to receive plenty of attention elsewhere in pop culture, from hit films such as "The Devil Wears Prada" and "In Her Shoes" to TV sensations like "The Sopranos" and "Ugly Betty."
|
|
One of Choo's most famous clients was Princess Diana, whom he designed many pairs for over the years -- so many in fact, he can't recall the actual number. He was scheduled to deliver a pair of just-completed gold pumps to her the day after she was killed. He kept those
shoes in memory of his friend.
Jimmy Choo's first shoe label was called "Lucky Shoes," and it would indeed seem that his career has taken some fortuitous turns. But it's his artistic talent and drive that has made him into the success he is today -- he also won't stop until the shoes are just right.
|
 |
|
Jimmy Choo Today
Jimmy Choo offers a fresh selection of innovative, trendy shoes each season without abandoning the classic silhouettes that never go out of fashion. The company also makes handbags and clutch purses, which are frequently seen in the hands of celebs like Cameron Diaz and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Choo himself, who sold his stake in the company in 2001, continues to handcraft shoes in London under the Jimmy Choo Couture label. In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II made him an officer of the Order of the British Empire. Mellon and creative director Sandra Choi, who worked with Choo before the company's launch and is the niece of his wife, oversee the ready-to-wear collection. As of 2007, Jimmy Choo has more than 60 retail stores worldwide. The shoes are also available online and in department stores such as Neiman Marcus in the U.S. and Harrods in Great Britain, though certain styles are exclusive to Jimmy Choo boutiques.
|
|