Background
Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia, into a family of shoemakers. His father taught him how to make shoes, and he made his first shoe when he was 11 years old.
周仰杰
Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia, into a family of shoemakers. His father taught him how to make shoes, and he made his first shoe when he was 11 years old.
He studied at Shih Chung Primary School in Love Lane, Penang. Choo graduated from Cordwainers Technical College in Hackney (now part of the London College of Fashion) in 1983.
He is best known for co-founding Jimmy Choo Limited that became known for its handmade women"s shoes. His family name is Chow but was misspelled on his birth certificate as Choo. Choo worked part-time at restaurants and as a cleaner at a shoe factory to help fund his college education.
After graduation Choo began work at a shop in Hackney which he opened in 1986 by renting an old hospital building.
His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed and his creations became featured in 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 Limited 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 Limited.
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. 2000: Bestowed a state award carrying the title of Dato" by the Sultan of Pahang state in Malaysia.
2000: Bestowed a state award carrying the title of Dato" by the Sultan of Pahang state in Malaysia 2002: Conferred an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Order of the British Empire) 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" 2004: Awarded an honorary doctorate in art by De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom, for his contribution to their unique Single Honours Footwear Design degree 2009: Awarded an Honorary Fellowship by University of the Arts London 2011: Winner of "The World’s Outstanding Malaysian Designer 2011" Design for Asia Award for the "Daniel" part 2012: Received You Bring Charm to the World – the Most Influential Malaysian Award 2013: Became a member of the Red Dot product design jury.
2013: Became a member of the Red Dot product design jury.
