THIS week’s issue of BUZZ is dedicated mostly to the now-classic styles of the 1990s, and no one carries them better than the men who brought fashion into the spotlight globally.
Early Years
Datuk Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat, better known as Jimmy Choo, is a Malaysian-born designer who currently resides in London. His brand, Jimmy Choo Ltd, is renowned for its high-end, artisanal footwear for women. Choo was born into a family of shoemakers in George Town, Penang, on Nov 15, 1952.
Choo, who lived in a time without the Internet or any other modern technology, found a way to make his day more delightful. His formative years were spent at his father’s shoemaking workshop, where he developed his skills and nurtured his unquenchable curiosity. Having that kind of exposure would make one develop an intense appreciation for classic, handcrafted shoes.
When Choo was seven years old, he would watch his father and other craftsmen assemble beautiful, handmade shoes every day when he returned from school. Choo made his first pair of shoes for his mother’s birthday when he was 11 years old. He stated that it was a pair of leather slippers, as that would be a lot easier than the proper shoes.
“My parents were shoemakers, and I have followed my father’s lead. He inspired me,” said Choo.
He gained an interest in the art of shoemaking, which then forced him to learn more from his father and decide that he would want to study abroad. Choo attended Cordwainer’s Technical College in London, England, in the 1980s (now part of the London College of Fashion). Since the 12th century in Britain, the term “cordwainer” has been used to refer to shoemakers who use new leather, as opposed to cobblers who work with used material.
After graduating in 1983, Choo decided to stay and rounded out his education in shoemaking at the school before attempting to return to Penang. In an interview with James Fallon for Footwear News, he recalled: “going home for a year, but I had gotten used to the life here and came back.”
