BIODATA CHOICE1 ``1
BIODATA CHOICE1 ``1

This article is about the shoe designer. For the company bearing his name, see Jimmy Choo Ltd.
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Choo (周). Jimmy Choo | Born | Penang, Malaysia | Occupation | Shoe designer |
Dato' Jimmy Choo, OBE, born Choo Yeang Keat, (Chinese: 周仰杰)[1] is a Malaysian fashion designer based in London, United Kingdom. He is best known for founding Jimmy Choo Ltd that became known for its handmade women's shoes.
Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia, into a family of shoemakers, who are of Chinese Hakka[2] descent. His family name is Chow but was misspelled on his birth certificate as Choo. 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, England, 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. Patronage from Diana, Princess of Wales, from 1990 further boosted his image.
In 1996, he co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with British Vogue magazine accessories editor Tamara Mellon.
In April 2001, Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for £10 million. He has since concentrated 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 Mellon. The ready-to-wear line has expanded to include accessories such as handbags
Choo lives in London and 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. Jimmy Choo Ltd. produces some of the most expensive high-end shoes.
[edit] References 1. ^ Back from London to receive award AllMalaysia.info, 27 August 2004 2. ^ "Jimmy Choo: from humble beginnings_English_Xinhua". News.xinhuanet.com. 11 August 2009. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-08/11/content_11860611.htm. Retrieved 20 October 2011. 3. ^ Penang Yang di-Pertua Negri's birthday honours list TheStar.com.my, 10 July 2004 1. Jimmy Choo Biography - life, family, children, name, school, old, born, college, time - Newsmakers Cumulation http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2006-A-Ec/Choo-Jimmy.html#ixzz1myG0ZgGg

BIODATA CHOICE 2
BIODATA CHOICE 2

Dato’ Jimmy Choo was born in Penang Malaysia into a family of shoemakers. He made his first shoe when he was 11 years old and is probably the most celebrated graduate of Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney. Graduating in 1983 Choo opened his first workshop 3 years later. For the next decade all Jimmy Choo shoes were handmade and most were commissioned for specific functions. Clients would often bring fabric samples of their gowns so that colours could be matched.
Choos reputation for producing some of the most exquisite handmade shoes available brought him to the attention of Tamara Mellon. A fashion journalist at the time, Tamara Mellon recognised the huge potential for growth in high-end designer accessories market. She approached Choo with the idea of launching a ready-to-wear shoe company. Under the partnership Choo and Mellon each owned 50% of the company, Mellon’s father became the chairman and the label started outsourcing manufacture to Italy.
A perfection of craftsmanship, a legacy of Jimmy Choo’s early days, has always been key to the label’s success. Often displayed by the simple details, Jimmy Choo shoes are never overtly fashionable or trend setting. Yet they always manage to be equal in delicacy and grandeur to the designer gowns they are often worn with. The style is elegant, always feminine and sensual without being overtly sexy.
The label favours jewel colours and fresh brights such as aqua and fuscia. Using luxury silks and shantung along with opulent and exotic leathers, fish and python skin, many Choo shoes are adorned with wisps of feathers, tufts of mink and a variety of stones from sparkly Swarovski crystals to natural healing stones. Styles are very varied; for day leather mules, sling back pumps and boots, for evening high rise attention grabbers, the most famous being the label’s delicate strappy sandals so beloved of the red carpet crowd. Jimmy Choo stiletto heels have been described as ‘dainty and deadly’. Devotees show a near fanatical devotion to Choo and the philosophy that shoes can be both beautiful and comfortable.
Since selling his share of the business in 2001, Jimmy Choo has concentrated solely on his work for the exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line, which is produced under licence from Jimmy Choo Ltd. This line goes back to the early handmade ethic of Jimmy Choo shoes, an area that, despite the huge success of the ready-to-wear label which bears his name, has always been Choo’s true love.
“A person should never have to fit a pair of shoes, the shoe should be able to fit the person.”
Jimmy Choo RTW, often known as simply Jimmy Choo, is now under the control of Tamara Mellon and Sandra Choi and has expanded to include a range of accessories including Jimmy Choo handbags. Choi, who was an apprentice under Choo, is the Creative Director at the company. Mellon and Choi’s design collaboration led to immediate increased demand for Jimmy Choo shoes.
With a wealth of celebrity fans, there is seldom a red carpet event that does not feature a Choo shoe. Notable patrons include Princess Diana, Madonna, and Victoria Beckham. Beyoncé once sung about “kicking it in my Jimmys”. Jimmy Choo shoes are known as the red carpet shoe of choice and have been hailed as an ‘Oscar lucky charm’ with a succession of winners wearing Choos to collect their awards, including Cate Blanchett, Halle Berry and Hilary Swank.
Jimmy Choo shoes’ iconic status was further confirmed by their worship by the lead character Carrie Bradshaw in the TV series and film ‘Sex and the City’.
Before Jimmy Choo, shoes were not a particularly noteworthy portion of a lady’s outfit. Fashion generally consisted of dressing one’s body in the finest designer attire but paying little attention from the hem of the garment downwards. Shoes from a Jimmy Choo collection became as much a fashion statement as a lady’s clothing and Choo is credited for bringing attention to the feet and keeping it there. It has been said that when wearing a pair of Jimmy Choos you don’t even need the clothes.

Birth: 1961
Place of birth: Penang
Couture line: Jimmy Choo Ltd.

This London based luxury fashion designer is best known for his hand made women's shoe. Jimmy Choo has acquired prominence for his company in the fashion industry with his exclusive line of craftsmanship in both being a shoemaker and a designer. He has now redirected his energies in setting up a shoe making institute in Malyasia where his iconic image is an inspiration to budding shoemakers and fashion designers. |

Early Life
Jimmy Choo was born in Penang in 1961 in a family of shoemakers. He first hand at shoemaking was when he was 11 years old. He graduated in the year 1983 from the Cordwainers' Technical College in London. He worked part time in restaurants and at a shoe factory to make that extra buck to finance his studies. It was perhaps in 1986 when Choo began his career as a shoemaker when he started his workshop in Hackney in East London. His craftsmanship and designs were soon observed as he attained international fame with his creations which were featured in a record eight pages of Vogue magazine in a 1988 issue. In the year 1996 he along with "British Vogue" accessories editor Tamara Mellon founded the company Jimmy Choo Ltd.

Promotions and Success
From a small workshop to a premier brand, Jimmy's journey as a shoemaker has earned him not only name and fame but also a lot of awards. His work were admired and he has been credited globally for his art of designing. Some of the awards he has received are: * In the year 2000 he was bestowed a state award carrying the title of Dato' by the Sultan of Pahang state in Malaysia for his achievements. * In the year 2002 he was conferred an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to the shoe and fashion industry in the UK. * In the year 2004 Choo was 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'. * He has also been awarded a fellowship by the University of the Arts London, conferring the use of the title Professor.
Brand and Clientele
The company Jimmy Choo Ltd which started as a shoe making house has extended into the other sectors of the fashion world. It has produced its exclusive line of Couture collection and has also gone onto producing accessories such as hand bags. The company has expanded across the globe and garnered a slew of celebrity clientele. The late Diana, Princess of Wales, was a huge fan of Choo's designs. He is said to have lost count of the number of shoes he made for Princess Diana.

“Face it, Andy. You sold your soul the day you put on those Jimmy Choos.” That line from the movie “The Devil Wears Prada” is but one example of how an unassuming shoemaker has found fame and fortune in the couture and mainstream world.
Jimmy Choo is a native of Malaysia and was born in 1961 into a family of shoemakers. He created his first pair of shoes at age 11. Now he is known worldwide for his designer line of elegant women’s shoes and handbags.
Choo graduated from Cordwainers’ Technical College in London and had a small workshop in that city. He hit the international fashion scene when Vogue magazine featured his designs in an eight-page spread in 1988. His work was immediately popular and was made more so by patronage from Diana, Princess of Wales.
Jimmy Choo shoes have since been mentioned or featured in movies and television shows such as “Sex and the City” and “The Sopranos,” increasing the brand’s cachet. Choo was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2002 for his contributions to his adopted country of England.
Jimmy Choo shoes are noted for their very high heels and pointed toes. However, he does feature some flats and lower-heeled shoes for those of us who don’t feel comfortable on stilts. Choo co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd. with Tamara Mellon, UK Vogue accessories editor, but sold his share in the company in 2001. He now focuses on his couture designs and although he does have a London showroom, it is open by appointment only.
Jimmy Choo boutiques have opened around the world, so his designs are more accessible to those who want a designer shoe, and can afford his prices. Choo also has a Web site where shoppers can view his ready-to-wear designs, and the couture designs, as well. Choo’s ready-to-wear designs generally begin in the neighborhood of $300 US Dollars (USD) and they just go up from there. The value of a soul might not cover the price.

They were one of the industry's most powerful pairs.

After building Jimmy Choo into a global luxury powerhouse — and engineering one of this year's biggest footwear deals — Tamara Mellon, the brand's founder and chief creative officer, and Joshua Schulman, its CEO, are both leaving the label. The moves come six months after Jimmy Choo was acquired by Labelux Group for a reported $850 million.

Schulman, who has led Jimmy Choo since 2007, told Footwear News today that now was the right time to leave and his decision came after “conversations over time with Labelux management and shareholders.”

“Jimmy Choo is in a great place and Labelux is a great fit for the brand. It will continue to thrive,” Schulman said. “I am enormously proud of what we accomplished. From a financial point of view, we grew the business significantly. And we transitioned Jimmy Choo from a niche brand focused on the U.S. and Europe to a [global] lifestyle player.”

The executive stressed that his resignation was unrelated to Mellon's and he will remain on board into next year during a transition period, while the founder will exit at the end of the month. The departures were announced together, he said, to ensure a smooth transition at Labelux.

As they digested the news, a number of top retailers praised Schulman and Mellon's tenure at the 15-year-old brand.

“Josh and Tamara have been the most amazing partners,” said Ron Frasch, president and chief merchandising officer at Saks Fifth Avenue, adding that the label's business at the department store has more than doubled over the past couple of years.

Frasch lauded Schulman's brand-building initiatives and smart leadership in particular. “He really put the business at a different level. I am very saddened to know that he won't be our partner at Jimmy Choo going forward," Frasch said.

Kurt Geiger CEO Neil Clifford said Mellon and Schulman's individual strengths added up to a very strong partnership. “[They] were the perfect cocktail of art and science,” said Clifford. "They will be missed.”

Mellon, who was in Brazil earlier this week as part of her U.K. trade deputy duties, was not available for comment. But her resignation is the more surprising of the two. Since co-founding the label 15 years ago, she has served as Jimmy Choo's ambassador, making countless appearances around the world, starring in several of the brand's ad campaigns and promoting Jimmy Choo tirelessly in the press. She hosted several Jimmy Choo events this fall, including a party in New York last month to fete the brand's new Icons collection.

Mellon told Footwear News in July she was “very committed” to the label and its expansion.

"None of the bidders would buy the company without me,” she said at the time, adding that she was just beginning to craft a long-term growth plan with Labelux. "We're only a teenager. It takes about 30 years for a luxury brand to really hit maturity."

A report in “The Telegraph,” which first reported the moves on Saturday, speculated that Labelux was unhappy with the state of Jimmy Choo after the acquisition.

But Schulman said his impression was that Labelux had been pleased with the business all along and planned to invest further going forward. He pointed to Jimmy Choo's impressive growth over the past few years. While the exec declined to comment on specific financials, sources close to the company said the label had sales of about 65 million pounds (or $104.5 million, at current exchange) when Schulman arrived and will finish this year at about 220 million pounds ($353.8 million).

In a statement released Sunday, Labelux, which also owns Bally, said Jimmy Choo reported 150 million pounds in 2010 net sales and is experiencing double-digit growth across all categories and markets this year.

In an interview Sunday, Labelux CEO Reinhard Mieck said, “It’s always a surprise when people resign, but you digest the news and then see how you can build a future. But there are no negative feelings. We’re all very positive and there won’t be a change in strategic direction at Jimmy Choo.”

Mieck said the current creative directors, Sandra Choi and Simon Holloway, will continue in their roles. He added the company had no plans to replace Mellon as chief creative officer.

“The creative side of the company is extremely strong, and the design direction will continue,” said Mieck.

The firm plans to name a new CEO over the next couple of weeks. “From a management point of view, there won’t be any significant disruptions,” said Mieck. “We acquired the company because of its potential and we believe it has a very exciting future.”

Mieck confirmed that Schulman and Mellon will no longer hold any shares in the company. 

But their future is still undetermined.

For now, Schulman, 40, said he is focusing on the transition at Jimmy Choo, but that he expects a number of exciting opportunities to emerge.

And fashion insiders are already speculating about Mellon's next move. Interestingly, she told FN this summer she wouldn't rule out starting another brand. "I'm not sure why that idea seems to be cropping up now,” she said at the time. “But you never know what the future holds.”

BIODATA CHOICE 3
BIODATA CHOICE 3

Shoe designer
Born c. 1957, in George Town, Penang, Malaysia; married Rebecca; children: Emily. Education: Studied at Cordwainers' Technical College, London, England, early 1980s.
Addresses: Office —Jimmy Choo, 169 Draycott Ave., London SW3 3AJ, England.
Career
Worked for the family business as an apprentice shoemaker in George Town, Malaysia, in the 1970s; moved to London, England, 1980; first foot-wear designs sold under the brand name Lucky Shoes, 1984; opened custom shoe business, 1986; involved in a business partnership that launched the Jimmy Choo retail empire, 1996-2001; returned to custom-shoe business in London, 2001.
Awards: Accessory Designer of the Year, British Fashion Council, 1999; Order of the British Empire.
Sidelights
British shoemaker Jimmy Choo lent his name to the line of elegant women's footwear that quickly developed a cult following in the 1990s, despite their exorbitant prices. But there are actually two designer-shoe companies that bear his name— his own custom atelier in London, and the wholesale business with which he was once involved. Thanks to the public-relations savvy of his former partners, Choo's name joined the roster of ultrafashionable luxury brands name-checked by R&B stars like Beyoncé Knowles and on the television series Sex and the City.
Choo hails from Penang, a province of Malaysia, and grew up in Penang's capital city, George Town. His family was of Chinese heritage, and he followed his father into shoemaking as a youngster. He made his first pair at the age of 12, and was soon working regularly in the family business that operated out of the first floor of their home. Around 1980, Choo traveled to London to visit relatives, and while there learned about a venerable shoemaking school in the city's East End called Cordwainers' Technical College. The term "cordwainer" had been used since 12th-century Britain to denote artisans who made shoes from new leather, as opposed to cobblers who worked with used material. Choo decided to stay, and rounded out his education in shoemaking at the school before attempting to return to Penang. "I went home for a year, " he recalled in an interview with James Fallon for Footwear News , "but I had gotten used to the life here and came back."
Choo sold his first shoe designs under the brand name Lucky Shoes in 1984. Two years later, he started a custom shoe business using his own name, which operated out of the former Metropolitan Hospital in the east London neighborhood of Hackney. The building had been converted into a series of stalls for artisans and small-scale clothing retailers, and future Gucci creative director Alexander Mc-Queen sold some his earliest designs there at the time. In 1989, Choo was joined in the business by his niece, Sandra Choi.
Over the next few years Choo built a small but profitable business making handmade shoes for style-conscious women who could afford his custom wares. He worked in leather, as well as python and even fish skin—which took color dyes quite well, he found—but his shoes were actually less expensive than traditional handmade shoes, which involve a pair of custom "lasts, " or shoe forms, for each client. Choo had a strong sense for fashion and embellishment, and his designs became a favorite of Diana, the Princess of Wales. Fashionistas were also devoted clients, and in 1996 a stylist for British Vogue named Tamara Yeardye Mellon suggested they start a larger-scale shoe business together. Mellon's father, who had made part of his fortune overseeing the expansion of the Vidal Sassoon hair-care empire in the 1970s, agreed to bankroll the start-up costs.
Choo's new line was manufactured at an Italian factory, and then shipped to top department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. There was also a chic new London boutique with his name on it, but there was some sniping over who had actually designed the Jimmy Choos—the designer himself, or Choi and Mellon—and the partnership soured. Thomas Yeardye, Tamara Mellon's father, had been impressed with how well the $400-a-pair shoes were selling, and funded an ambitious expansion plan involving an increase in production and the number of freestanding Jimmy Choo stores. The partnership grew even more acrimonious, as Choi, the niece, told Evgenia Peretz in Vanity Fair. She and her uncle, she noted, "were just trying to be sure that, whatever we're investing in, we're not going backwards. To be fair, on Jimmy's side, he's got responsibility. He's got family that he needs to bring up.… Whereas, on the other side, the Yeardye family, they're all set up. To them, it's a gamble, and it could go sky-high and everything could be wonderful, or it could be in shambles. But it doesn't quite affect them."
Choi eventually joined the Yeardye side, and the partnership rearranged in 2001, with Choo retaining the name to his own custom line, while the Yeardye-managed retail line carried on. By then the Jimmy Choo name had become as prominent as that of another high-end women's footwear designer, Manolo Blahnik, and was mentioned frequently in the fashion press. Characters on the hit HBO series The Sopranos and Sex and the City referenced the brand. The Jimmy Choo line also gained some priceless press attention when the 19-year-old twin daughters of U.S. president George W. Bush wore Jimmy Choo cashmere stiletto boots on their father's inauguration day in 2001. Later that year, the brand earned a somewhat more infamous distinction when a well-known Manhattan publicist, Lizzie Grubman, crashed her car into a crowd outside a nightclub in the posh resort town of Southampton in what witnesses said was a temper tantrum behind the wheel. According to other bystanders, one of the accident victims asked her friend to remove her Jimmy Choo heels from her feet, so that paramedics would not have to cut them off in their haste to treat her injuries.
Choo, who married a fellow student from Cord-wainers' College and has a daughter, still makes about five pairs of custom shoes weekly at his by-appointment-only workshop in central London. These Jimmy Choos bear the "handmade" designation on their soles, unlike those sold at top retailers and in the 30 Jimmy Choo stores around the world. He is the recipient of an Order of the British Empire (OBE) designation, as well as a Dato title, the Malaysian equivalent of a peerage. His rather old-fashioned style of business, much in the style of his father's artisanry, suits him better than designing full-scale, fashion-driven collections. "Shoes are a personal thing, a personal touch, " he said in an interview with Rose Shepherd of London's Mail on Sunday. "Everyone can sketch them, but to understand where they're comfortable, where they fit, where's the balance, that's important."

BIODATA CHOICE 4

BIODATA CHOICE 4