Jimmy Choo | |||||||||||||||||
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 Choo at the Red Dot Awards in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat 15 November 1948 | ||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Cordwainers Technical College | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Fashion designer | ||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Datin Rebecca Choi | ||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2, including Danny | ||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 周仰傑 | ||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 周仰杰 | ||||||||||||||||
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Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat (born 15 November 1948 [1] ) is a Malaysian fashion designer based in the United Kingdom. He co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd, which became known for its handmade women's shoes. [2]
Choo was born in 1948 in the Crown Colony of Penang, Malaysia, into a family of shoemakers. Of Chinese descent, his family name is Chew (Chinese :周), but it was misspelled on his birth certificate as Choo. Choo's father, a shoemaker who made all of his shoes by hand, taught him the craft. "My parents were shoemakers and I have followed my father's lead. He inspired me," said Jimmy Choo. [3] He made his first pair of shoes when he was 11 years old—a pair of slippers. [4] [5] [6]
Between 1982 and 1984, Choo studied at Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney (now part of the London College of Fashion) in London. [7] He went to a design firm to work after graduation, wishing to remain in London permanently instead of returning to Malaysia. [5]
After college, Choo worked at two design companies for a total of nine years before starting his own business. Choo initially started with the help of the Prince's Trust. Choo's parents emigrated to Britain to help him get started, and he eventually expanded the business by opening his first shop in 1986, renting an old hospital building. His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed at London Fashion Week in 1988. After seeing his creations, Vogue featured his shoes in an eight page spread. Choo has said that his designs became significantly more popular after the Vogue coverage. [5] Patronage from Princess Diana in the early 1990s further bolstered his image. [5]
In 1996, Choo co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd. with British Vogue magazine accessories editor Tamara Mellon. [8] In April 2001, Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for £10 million. [8] He has since concentrated his work on the exclusive Jimmy Choo couture line produced under license from Jimmy Choo Ltd. [9] The Jimmy Choo London line, also known as Jimmy Choo Ready-To-Wear or, simply, Jimmy Choo, is under the purview of Tamara Mellon. The ready-to-wear line has expanded to include accessories such as handbags.
In 2009, Choo claimed that his brand was a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales. [10]
In 2023, Greek rap avant-garde artist Roi 6/12 released his album "Strip club" with the single "Jimmy Choo" which mentions the designer. The lyrics recite how wearing shoes designed by Jimmy Choo assists in the achievement of an extramarital affair between a male and a female. [11]
Malaysia : 
Commander of the Order of Meritorious Service (PJN) – Datuk (2013) [14] 
Pahang : 
Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) – Dato' (1999)
Penang : 
Officer of the Order of the Defender of State (DSPN) – Dato' (2004) [15] 
United Kingdom : 
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (2002)
Abdul Razak bin Hussein was a Malaysian lawyer and politician who served as the second prime minister of Malaysia from 1970 until his death in 1976. He also served as the first deputy prime minister of Malaysia from 1957 to 1970. He is referred to as the Father of Development.
The London College of Fashion is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, a public art university in London, England. The college offers undergraduate and postgraduate study, short courses, study-abroad courses and business training in fashion and related topics. The patron is Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. The current head of college is Professor Andrew Teverson.
A cordwainer is a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather. The cordwainer's trade can be contrasted with the cobbler's trade, according to a tradition in Britain that restricted cobblers to repairing shoes. This usage distinction is not universally observed, as the word cobbler is widely used for tradespersons who make or repair shoes.
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear.
Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik Rodríguez is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of the eponymous high-end shoe brand.
Tamara Mellon is a British fashion entrepreneur who co-founded the luxury footwear brand Jimmy Choo. She founded her namesake luxury footwear brand, Tamara Mellon, with co-founder and CEO Jill Layfield and Tania Spinelli, chief data officer, in 2016.
Sandra Choi is a British-Asian businesswoman and fashion designer. She is the creative director of J. Choo Limited.
Jimmy Choo is a British luxury fashion house specialising in shoes, handbags, accessories and fragrances. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by Malaysian Chinese couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo and British Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon. The brand claims to have been a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired in November 2017 by Michael Kors Holdings, now Capri Holdings.
Bernard Chandran is a Malaysian fashion designer.
Beatrix Ong MBE is a London-based British luxury fashion accessories designer, known for her 'classic with a twist' shoes.
Linda Kristin Bennett is an English clothing designer and entrepreneur, best known for founding the fashion retailer L.K.Bennett.
Rupert Sanderson is a British shoe designer.
Arifin bin Zakaria is a Malaysian lawyer who served as the seventh Chief Justice of Malaysia, serving from 12 September 2011, succeeding Zaki Azmi, until 31 March 2017.
Nicholas Matthew Schneidau Kirkwood is a British footwear designer. He lives in Bethnal Green, London.
Danny Choo is a British Malaysian Chinese blogger and TV personality based in Japan. He is the owner of Mirai Inc. and is best known for his virtual mascot, Mirai Suenaga. He runs a blog in which he posts content about his life, focusing on his company and his experiences in Japan. He released his own line of fashion dolls in 2014. Danny is the son of fashion designer Jimmy Choo.
Sophia Grace Webster is a British shoe and accessories designer who launched her eponymous footwear line in September 2012. She is renowned for a feminine, bold yet playful design approach which has led to distribution at over 200 retailers worldwide.
The Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design is the first educational establishment of the Condé Nast Publications Ltd. in London, UK.
Sarajane Hoare is a British fashion journalist, director, and stylist who, since the 1980s has worked for British Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Harper's Bazaar. She has been instrumental in developing the career of photographer Herb Ritts, shoe designer Tamara Mellon, and journalist Kate Phelan.
Joanne Stoker is a British footwear designer.
Alexander White is a British shoe designer who launched his eponymous footwear line in September 2014. His collections are distributed internationally, including such retailers as Barneys New York, Lane Crawford and Level Shoe District.
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