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Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia into a family of shoemakers. He is of Chinese Hakka descent. He made his first shoe when he was 11 years old. He is perhaps the most notable of students of Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney 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, North 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 notability 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.
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.
Choo lives 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. His company Jimmy Choo Ltd. produces some of the most expensive high end shoes.
Choo's son is IT entrepreneur Danny Choo.
Awards
2000: Bestowed a state award carrying the title of Dato' by the Sultan of Pahang state in Malaysia for his achievements
2002: Conferred an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to the shoe and fashion industry in the United Kingdom
2004: Awarded the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri by the Yang di Pertua Negeri (Governor) of his home state of Penang, which also carries the title Dato
Awarded a fellowship by the University of the Arts London, conferring the use of the title Professor
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Last Updated: 4/5/2011
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