Jimmy Choo
Tâi-lô | Tsiu Gióng-kia̍t |
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Datuk Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat PJN DIMP DSPN OBE[1] (born 15 November 1948)[2] is a Malaysian fashion designer based in the United Kingdom. He co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd, which became known for its handmade women's shoes.
Early life
Choo was born in 1948 in the
Between 1982 and 1984, Choo studied at Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney (now part of the London College of Fashion) in London.[7] He went to a design firm to work after graduation, wishing to remain in London permanently instead of returning to Malaysia.[5]
Career
After college, Choo worked at two design companies for a total of nine years before starting his own business. Choo initially started with the help of the Prince's Trust. Choo's parents emigrated to Britain to help him get started, and he eventually expanded the business by opening his first shop in 1986, renting an old hospital building. His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed at London Fashion Week in 1988. After seeing his creations, Vogue featured his shoes in an eight page spread. Choo has said that his designs became significantly more popular after the Vogue coverage.[5] Patronage from Princess Diana in the early 1990s further bolstered his image.[5]
In 1996, Choo co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd. with
In 2009, Choo claimed that his brand was a favourite of Diana, Princess of Wales.[10]
Awards and honours
- 2002: Appointed an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in recognition of his services to the shoe and fashion industry in the UK
- 2004: Awarded an honorary doctorate in art by De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, for his contribution to their unique Single Honours Footwear Design degree
- 2009: Awarded an Honorary Fellowship by University of the Arts London[11]
- 2011: Winner of "The World's Outstanding Malaysian Designer 2011" Design for Asia Award for the "Daniel" part
- 2011: Winner of the "Outstanding Chinese Designer Award" for his accomplishments in the footwear industry.[6]
- 2012: Received You Bring Charm to the World – the Most Influential Malaysian Award
- 2013: Became a member of the Red Dot product design jury.[12]
Honours of Malaysia
- Malaysia :
- Commander of the Order of Meritorious Service (PJN) – Datuk (2013)[13]
- Pahang :
- Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) – Dato' (1999)
- Penang :
- Officer of the Order of the Defender of State (DSPN) – Dato' (2004)[14]
International honours
- United Kingdom :
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (2002)
References
- ^ "Back from London to receive award". AllMalaysia.info. 27 August 2004. Archived from the original on 11 December 2005.
- ^ Newsmakers (2006) Gale Biography In Context, Detroit
- ISBN 978-1-59691-391-2.
- ^ "The Jimmy Choo connection". Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c d "How boy from Penang became shoemaker of choice for British royals". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Jimmy Choo Honoured". British Vogue. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "London College of Fashion (formerly Cordwainers College) – Jimmy Choo OBE". Association of Colleges. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
- ^ a b Solomon, Michael. "Luxury Lineage: A Brief History of Jimmy Choo". Forbes. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "Jimmy Choo finds right fit with sole couture line". GMA News Online. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ Moss, Hilary (9 November 2009). "Jimmy Choo: I was Princess Diana's Shoemaker". Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ "UAL Honorary Fellows and Doctorates". arts.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ "Red Dot Design Award: Icon of the fashion world: Dato' Professor Jimmy Choo debuts as a red dot juror in 2013". en.red-dot.org. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ "Michelle Yeoh, Jimmy Choo, Zang Toi Antara Penerima Pingat". mStar (in Malay). 1 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ Penang Yang di-Pertua Negeri's birthday honours list TheStar.com.my, 10 July 2004
Further reading
- OCLC 855783504.
External links
- Jimmychoo.com
- Jimmy Choo at FMD
- Malaysia's Résumé - Dato Jimmy Choo
- Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery
- Jimmy Choo – The Man And His Shoes