PROF. JIMMY CHOO, OBE
Mention Professor Datuk Jimmy Choo’s name, elegant and exquisitely hand-crafted shoes naturally come to mind. Famed for making shoes for the Late Diana, Princess of Wales, Prof Jimmy Choo’s beautiful creations have adorned the feet of royalty, celebrities and pop stars. Prof Jimmy Choo, the son of a reputable shoe designer in Malaysia, spent his early years on the idyllic island of Penang working as his father’s young apprentice.
Determined to master the art of shoe design, he travelled to London in the 1980’s to study footwear design and making at Cordwainers College. The college has since become part of the London College of Fashion, one of five colleges that form University of The Arts, London. Since establishing the ‘Jimmy Choo’ label in 1986, Choo’s made-to-order designs have included an extensive range of hand-beaded, hand-stitched, and personalized shoes ranging from slippers, sandals, and mules to boots.
LOOKS
In 1988, Vogue ran an eight-page editorial featuring him as the new up and coming London designer. This affirmed his status as a shoe designer and master craftsman and he hasn’t looked back ever since. In 1996, building upon his already strong presence in Britain and his growing international reputation, he launched his ready-to-wear line with the late Mr. Tom Yeardye. He subsequently sold his shares of the ready-to-wear business in November 2001 to Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd., entrusting them with his values of comfort and elegance to the luxury footwear and accessories market, whilst he himself continued to operate his couture line.
Today, his presence is at the forefront in his firm support for education, as the Ambassador for Footwear Education at the London College of Fashion and a spokesperson for the British Council in their promotion of British Education to foreign students. Continuing his contribution to education, Prof Jimmy Choo established JCA, London Fashion Academy in 2021 headquartered at 20 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JY.
Professor Datuk Jimmy Choo, OBE, is a firm believer in “Creativity Through Skills”, a slogan he promotes: “It is important to be skilled in order to become a good designer. A designer should not just be someone who is good at sketching but also be well versed and knowledgeable in every aspect of the making of any creation.”
Prof Jimmy Choo lives and breathes creativity. He has always been an incredibly curious person and incessantly follows his curiosity. It was this tenacity that led to the discovery of his indelible passion for the art of shoe making and designing - a process that requires extreme focus and painstaking hard work, but at the same time has the ability to lift one’s spirit when the perfect creation has been achieved.
Prof Jimmy Choo understands the invested emotions of mind and spirit that embody skilled craftsmen when giving life to their creations. This was evident in the initial success of Jimmy Choo as a couture house and subsequently a global household brand. The emphasis on craftsmanship was the mainstay of the brand. Needless to say, it is this strong foundation that has led to his involvement with The Atelier as its Creative Director and Principal Designer in 2017.
Professor Datuk Jimmy Choo OBE is recognized far and wide across the globe. One of the most recent accolades was the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by Drapers presented on the 23rd of June 2022 at Grosvenor House, London. Drapers, formerly known as Draper’s Record was founded in 1887. Another notable global recognition was “World Most Outstanding Chinese Designer Award” from Hong Kong Design Centre in December 2011. The award was given in honor of his contribution to the design community and his support for global fashion education and training. Another global award ‘You Bring Charm To The World” was presented by Phoenix TV in Beijing for being one of the most influential Chinesepersonalities in the field of arts and culture.
