The man behind one of the world’s most sought after shoes, Jimmy Choo, is using his success to promote higher education in Britain. Himself a graduate of Cordwainer’s Technical College of London, now part of the London College of Fashion, Choo was in Beijing last month to speak with Chinese students and promote his brand on the Chinese mainland. Born in 1961 into a family of shoemakers in Penang, Malaysia, Choo first left school when he was very young to make shoes with his father, coming up with his own designs when he was just 11 years old. After visiting relatives in London, he decided to stay and graduated from Cordwainer’s in 1983.
“Before attending the college, I could not even draw a design plan,” Choo said.
Choo’s first shoes were sold under the Lucky Shoes brand in 1984 and he opened his own workshop in an old hospital building in East London in 1986, completely immersing himself in his designs.
“My shoes cost 30 pounds each but few people came to buy them. I was totally focused on making shoes. Instant noodles were my daily meals. I could not even afford my favorite roast duck when passing by Chinatown.”
From humble beginnings, Choo’s hand-made designs have since been worn by almost every high-flying celebrity and fashionista in the world.
In 1988, Jimmy Choo was discovered by Vogue, the high profile magazine publishing an eight-page spread of his work. Choo found further success with the help of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. She ordered six pairs of shoes after meeting the designer for the first time.
“She gave many British designers, including me, opportunities to be recognized by the world. I owe gratitude to her,” Choo said.
“Making shoes by hand is an important craft. If all are made by machine, shoes will lose their lives,” he said. “In the fashion world, trends always change while comfort is eternal. My father’s traditional craftsmanship taught me that a shoe’s shape changes with one’s foot. The longer you wear hand-made shoes, the more comfortable you will feel.”
