How Jimmy Choo Started?

Jimmy Choo is a 21st-century luxury accessories brand, with shoes at its heart, offering an empowered sense of glamour.

Jimmy Choo attracted outside investment and the company embarked on a significant expansion across product categories, channels, and geographies.

Today, Jimmy Choo encompasses a complete luxury accessories brand. Women’s shoes remain the core of the product offer, alongside handbags, small leather goods, sunglasses, fragrance, and men’s shoes.

The Founder

Jimmy Choo is a Malaysian fashion designer of Chinese descent based in the United Kingdom.

Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia, into a family of shoemakers. Choo's father, a shoemaker who made all of his shoes by hand, taught him the craft.

Jimmy Choo made his first pair of shoes when he was 11 years old.

Between 1982 and 1984, Choo studied at the London College of Fashion. He went to a design firm to work after graduation.

How was Jimmy Choo Created?

In 1996, Choo co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with British Vogue magazine accessories editor Tamara Mellon and his niece, Sandra Choi.

Choo and Tamara Mellon quickly grew the business, keeping the focus on creating high-end footwear, but no longer relying on the fact that every single pair had to be made by Choo himself.

They contracted with Italian factories and opened their first boutique shop in London. By the late 1990s, Choo had stores in Los Angeles and New York

Mission and Values

With the consistent commitment to sticking to their vision and mission, Jimmy Choo has been able to continue succeeding.

The company’s mission is to capture the hearts of women and inspire men around the world. They thrive on talent and passion.

Their values are to respect their entrepreneurial heritage, to thrive on talent and passion, to lead through our creativity, and be proud of what they do and how they treat each other and to give back to the communities.

How Jimmy Choo Became Successful

The main reason why the company was successful was mostly because of its recognition.

Princess Diana gave her support soon after Jimmy Choo launched. She boosted his career and image by wearing his brand everywhere she went.

However, Choo’s connection with Vogue proved to be instrumental in the growth of the brand Jimmy Choo.

Moreover, the television program ‘ Sex and the City’ helped transform the business into iconic status. Featuring heavily in the programs, the Jimmy Choo shoe became a status in popular culture.

The huge success of the brand led to a menswear collection which launched in 1999.

Since the success, Choo is currently involved in the planning, development, and creation of a shoemaking educational institute in his homeland Malaysia.

For him, education is a key to success in life and along with manufacturing shoes, he also teaches people how to craft deluxe footwear.

He became the spokesman for the British Council in an attempt to reach out to international students and he also became footwear education ambassador at the London College of Fashion.

Expanding products

2006 was the year Jimmy Choo decided to design handbags and wallets, and it became a hit quickly after. All of them are classic and timeless, just like their shoes.

Since then, the brand remains one of the global leaders in luxury. The company has now ventured into other luxury products like sunglasses, clothes and perfumes.

In 2015, Jimmy Choo ventured into bridal collections. Yet again being a hit, just like all of his products, it carries the signature of luxury just like their shoes.