Jimmy Choo is an iconic luxury lifestyle brand defined by an empowered sense of glamour and a confident sense of style.

The brand was founded in 1996 by Tamara Mellon, OBE. Working as an accessories editor at British Vogue, Mellon discovered Mr Jimmy Choo, a renowned bespoke shoemaker in the East End of London. Harnessing her creative vision and entrepreneurial spirit, Mellon recognized a niche in the luxury shoe market and established the Jimmy Choo brand. Her vision of shoes combining a sexy cut, fashionable design and exceptional Italian craftsmanship struck a chord with a sophisticated clientele, and the first collection enjoyed immediate success. Mellon’s fashion insight and intuition for what women want drove the product creation, and to this day, she oversees the creative vision of the brand.

With a goal of creating a global luxury business, the company attracted outside investment in 2001 and Mr. Jimmy Choo exited the company. Retail development was always forefront in the company’s strategy. The first Jimmy Choo store was opened in 1996 on Motcomb Street in London complementing a distribution in some of the most prestigious and selective department stores. Two years later, the company expanded to the US, opening two stores in New York City and Beverly Hills. International expansion continued with Jimmy Choo securing locations in the premiere luxury shopping destinations of the world’s most prestigious cities.

A pioneer in the art of celebrity dressing, Jimmy Choo was among the first to bring shoes and handbags to Hollywood where the red carpet proved to be the ideal runway for the brand. Today, Jimmy Choo can be seen on style icons from celebrities to royalty, musicians to heads of state.

The brand’s reputation as a celebrity favourite helped to fuel its rapid expansion. Its iconography was further defined by the bold and dramatic advertising portraying glamorous but strong women in towering heels and luxurious handbags, captured by photographers such as Mario Testino, Terry Richardson and Steven Meisel.

Based on heightened demand, Jimmy Choo expanded into new categories and territories. Today, Jimmy Choo encompasses a complete luxury lifestyle accessory brand with women’s shoes, handbags, small leather goods, scarves, sunglasses, eyewear, belts, men’s shoes and fragrance. Its products are available in a growing network of Jimmy Choo freestanding stores as well as in the most prestigious department and specialty stores worldwide. From its original base in the United Kingdom and United States, the Jimmy Choo store network now encompasses more than 120 locations in 32 countries. As of 2011, Jimmy Choo is part of Labelux GmbH, a privately held luxury goods portfolio. Tamara Mellon OBE, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, and Joshua Schulman, Chief Executive Officer, oversee the company’s development which today enjoys the stature of one of the worlds most treasured and prominent luxury brands.