From a bespoke workshop in Hackney to the most famous red-carpet shoe in the world.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
Who is Jimmy Choo?
A Malaysian-born shoemaker, the son of a cobbler, who trained in London and set up a bespoke workshop in East London in the 1980s. His handmade shoes won a loyal following, including Princess Diana, who became one of his most famous clients.
How did the brand begin?
In 1996 Tamara Mellon, then an accessories editor at British Vogue, co-founded a ready-to-wear label with Jimmy Choo, and his niece Sandra Choi left her studies to lead design. Jimmy Choo himself left the business in 2001 and Mellon in 2011. Sandra Choi has led the creative direction ever since; she was appointed OBE in 2026, and the British Fashion Council is honouring her at The Fashion Awards on 30 November 2026.
Why is it a red-carpet brand?
The company was one of the first to lend shoes to actresses for the Oscars in the late 1990s, and the strappy sandal became its signature. Sex and the City name-checked it, and Jimmy Choo has been a fixture of awards season and weddings since, alongside bags, eyewear and fragrance.
Who owns Jimmy Choo?
Capri Holdings, the American group that also owns Michael Kors, which bought it in 2017. Collections are designed in London and largely made in Italy, around Florence. The brand marks its 30th anniversary in 2026.
Read on Ayerhs: Capri Holdings Names Justin Boxford as CEO · The Origins and Evolution of Red Carpet Fashion