Famous Celebrities in Malaysia (Jimmy Choo)

Life’s Background

Jimmy Choo is a Malaysian citizen of Hakka Chinese descent, who was born in Penang in 1961 into a family of shoemakers. He made his first shoe when he was 11 years old. He is perhaps the most famous of students of Cordwainers’ Technical College in London, from which he graduated in 1983. The college is now part of the London College of Fashion. Choo has divulged that he worked part-time at restaurants and as a cleaner at a shoe factory to help fund his college education.

Jimmy Choo's beginnings can be traced back to his workshop in Hackney, East London, which he opened in 1986 by renting an old hospital building. His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed and he came to the verge of international fame when his creations were featured in a record eight pages in a 1988 issue of Vogue magazine. Patronage from Diana, Princess of Wales from 1990 onwards further boosted his image.

Career History

Jimmy Choo himself has concentrated his work on the exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line produced under license from Jimmy Choo Ltd. This is available, by appointment only, at Connaught Street in London. The Jimmy Choo London line, also known as Jimmy Choo ready-to-wear or simply, Jimmy Choo, is now under the purview of Tamara Mellon and Sandra Choi. Choi, who was an apprentice under Choo, is the Creative Director at the company. She is the niece of Choo's wife Rebecca. The ready-to-wear line has expanded to include accessories such as handbags. The Jimmy Choo International flagship store is in Connaught Street in London.

In the United States Jimmy Choo boutiques are found in Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Palm Beach, Washington D.C., Phoenix, and more stores are scheduled to open.

In 1996, he co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with British Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon. In April 2001, Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for £10 million. He has since been concentrating his work on the exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line produced under license from Jimmy Choo Ltd. 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 his nephew Simon Choo-Deren currently residing in Rotterdam and London, will take over his position as the company's assistant head designer as announced at a board meeting in 2006.

Choo currently resides in London. He is currently involved in a project to set up a shoemaking institute in Malaysia, where his iconic status is often evoked to inspire budding shoemakers and fashion designers.