Foot Fetish fans have Malaysia to thank for Jimmy Choo.
Born Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat, the Malaysian shoe and couture designer is now based in London, best known for founding the famous Jimmy Choo Ltd with British Vogue accessories editor Tamara Yeardye Mellon that became known for its fabulous handmade women's shoes.
He was born into a Chinese Hakka family of shoemakers in Penang, Malaysia and made his first shoe when he was 11 years old, before moving to the UK and studying at the Cordwainers Technical College (now part of the London College of Fashion) in Hackney, graduating in 1983, and then opening a workshop nearby in 1986 in an old hospital building.
He hit the big time when his creations were featured in a record eight-page spread in a 1988 issue of Vogue magazine, caught the attention of royalty and celebrities, such as Princess Diana, and in 1996, partnered with Tamara Mellon to start the Jimmy Choo Ltd company.
Mellon sourced factories in Italy to produce the shoes on a larger scale, and the phenomenal brand growth meant that the Jimmy Choo name was soon being dropped into the same sentences as Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin.
Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for £10m in 2001 to Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd, and is now focussing on the exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line (produced under license from Jimmy Choo Ltd).
The Jimmy Choo London line (including accessories), is also known as Jimmy Choo Ready-To-Wear, and run by Tamara Mellon and his niece Sandra Choi (who originally apprenticed under Choo).
See this article from the Malaysian “Star” for more history about the development of the business and the eventual split.
Within 3 years, the company opened 26 new stores, on top of the existing four, and introduced handbags and small leather goods. This was followed by followed in November 2004 with Hicks Muse (Europe) acquiring of a majority shareholding for £101m.
The number of stores continues to grow, with locations across UK and Europe, the USA, Middle East, Asia Pacific/Australasia, South America and Africa.
Malaysians are grateful for his inspirational story and fab achievements.
In 2000, he was awarded the Dato' by the Sultan of Pahang state in Malaysia for his achievements, followed by the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri in 2004 by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (Governor) of his home state of Penang (which also carries the title Dato'). Dato' is the most common highly regarded title in Malaysia.
The UK has followed suit, with the conferring of an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 in recognition of his services to the shoe and fashion industry in the United Kingdom, and the title of Professor thanks to a fellowship awarded by the University of the Arts London.
Choo continues to live in London, with his wife Rebecca and daughter Emily.
See our Jimmy Choo photo gallery.
Indulge in more fantasy time by flicking through our foot fetish photo gallery on Facebook. Note: the Jimmy Choo shoes featured have not necessarily been designed by the man himself but we trust that his design legacy continues even though he no longer co-owns the business.
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