Jimmy Choo, maker of glamorous accessories favoured by International stars and elegant women worldwide.

 

Jimmy Choo, maker of glamorous accessories favoured by International stars and elegant women worldwide, was launched in 1996.

As accessories editor at Vogue UK, Tamara Yeardye Mellon sensed a real demand for stylish but wearable shoes and approached Mr Jimmy Choo, a couture shoe-maker based in the East End of London, recognised for his excellent craftsmanship.

Tamara partnered with Mr Jimmy Choo to start the ready to wear company and sourced factories in Italy to produce the shoes on a larger scale. Consequently, plans were made to open the first Jimmy Choo stand alone boutique and to develop the wholesale business throughout the fashion capitals of the world.

In April 2001, the expansion of jimmy Choo took a significant step forward wit the announcement of a new partnership with Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. Equinox acquired Mr Choo's share of the ready to wear business with Robert Bensoussan, Equinox's chief executive becoming CEO of Jimmy Choo. Within 3 years, the company opened twenty six new stores, (in addition to the existing four) and introduced both handbag and small leather goods collections.

This was followed by another dramatic move on 19th November 2004 with Hicks Muse (Europe) announcing the acquistion of a majority shareholding in Jimmy Choo, in a transaction valuing the company at 101 million.

With the ethos in both design and outlook remaining the same, Jimmy Choo is looking to expand which will result the opening of up to 50 stores by 2008.

Jimmy Choo Bio:

Jimmy Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia in 1961 into a family of shoe makers. He made his first shoe when he was only 11 years old. He attended Cordwainers's Technical College in London and the London College of Fashion.

All Jimmy Choo Couture shoes are hand-made, his unrivalled craftsmanship is demonstrated with obsessive attention to detail. Jimmy Choo Couture Shoes compliment the very finest designer clothing.

Jimmy Choo's style is always elegant, feminine and occasionally seductive. Jimmy Choo Couture shoes were favoured by the Princess of Wales, who would buy one style in several colours for evening wear and to coordinate with her day suits. Jimmy Choo lost count of the number of shoes he made for Princess Diana. After the separation she could frequently be seen in his delicate high-heeled shoes, a style that she could not wear when walking with her shorter husband.

Jimmy Choo is no longer directly associated with the Jimmy Choo ready to wear design house which he founded in 1996 with Tamara Yeardye Mellon. He now concentrates his efforts on Jimmy Choo Couture footwear.