Choo, Jimmy (1952?…), is a Malaysian-born British fashion designer . He is famous for creating luxury, handmade women’s shoes . Jimmy Choo shoes are known for their high stiletto heels, their expensive price tag, and the celebrities who wear them during formal events.
Jimmy Choo was born Choo Yeang Keat on Nov. 15, probably in 1952, in Penang, Malaysia. He learned his craft from his father, who was a shoemaker. Choo moved to London for advanced training in shoe making at the Cordwainers Technical College, now part of the London College of Fashion.
Choo opened his first shop in London in 1986, selling handmade shoes to such clients as Diana, Princess of Wales . In 1996, he formed a partnership with Tamara Mellon, an accessories editor at Vogue magazine, to produce a line of high-end, ready-to-wear shoes and to develop a wider market for his brand. Choo and Mellon co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd. In addition to shoes, the London-based company also specializes in such luxury fashion accessories as purses and other small leather goods. Under Mellon’s leadership, Jimmy Choo Ltd rapidly expanded into a global corporation with shops around the world.
Choo was named Accessory Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council in 2000. In 2001, he sold his share of the company. However, Choo has continued making custom shoes by hand for private clients under his own name. He was named in 2003 as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 2013, he received the Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN) award, the equivalent of a British knighthood, from the Malaysian government. The award carries the honorary title “Datuk.”
