You’ll Never Feel Old When You’re Happy: JIMMY CHOO Reveals The One Lesson He Learned From Life
You’ll Never Feel Old When You’re Happy: JIMMY CHOO Reveals The One Lesson He Learned From Life
Shoe designer Jimmy Choo, 74, is the man like Madonna, Michelle Obama and the late Princess Diana have turned to for their shoes.
He divides his time between Malaysia, Shanghai and London.
You will never feel old if you are happy
My father was a shoe designer in Penang, Malaysia. After doing my homework as a boy, I watched him and my uncle design and make shoes.
When I left school at thirteen, I went to work for my father. Everything was done by hand back then. You cut the leather with a knife and sewed the sole by hand.
In 1982 I came to London to study at Cordwainers Technical College [now part of London College of Fashion] to learn the technology behind the design and manufacture of shoes.
Jimmy Choo, 74, shows no signs of slowing down. He still works because he loves fashion and likes to pass on what he has learned to aspiring shoe designers
My father taught me to make balanced and comfortable shoes. But in London I learned about sketching and design – as well as marketing and specialist machinery.
After that it was word of mouth. Customers told people, “If you want a comfortable, beautiful, fashionable shoe, go to Jimmy Choo.”
I learned that from my father. It’s not just about making money, it’s about producing something good, then people will come back.
Sometimes I regret not spending more time with my family when they were younger.
I was so busy during London Fashion Week, designing shoes for catwalk shows – Helmut Lang, Jasper Conran, Bruce Oldfield, Paul Smith, John Rocha. For a year I didn’t go home for four days!
Fans of Choo include Catherine, Princess of Wales
Now I tell students to remember their families when they work hard. As a designer you are not a businessman. But you can learn or hire consultants to help you with these skills.
Your family is more important – if they are happy, you are happy. You need that balance in life.
I still work because I love fashion and education, and just as I’ve had so much support in my career, I want to pass on my skills.
I never wanted to stop working. I think once you stop your body slows down. I’ve never felt old because I’m happy.
- Jimmy Choo is a member of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers. The winner of the annual shoe awards in 2023 is Jihwi Ahn from De Montfort University, Leicester.