‘Fun and powerful … Like a great pair of heels!‘ - Diane Von
Furstenberg. This is what I am going to talk about fashion designer that rose
to fame for the quality and style of his handmade women's shoes – Dato’ Jimmy
Choo. In Penang, Malaysia, Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat was born into a family of shoemakers in 1961. He is a Malaysian-Chinese descent. The boy's father, Choo Kee Yin
was an immigrant from China, was taught to make shoes. With time, Choo Kee
became one of the best known shoemakers in Penang. Afterward, he taught Jimmy
Choo in shoemaking. "When I first started, my father wouldn't let me make
a shoe. Instead, he said: ‘Sit and watch, sit and watch.’ For months and
months, I did that.” said Jimmy.
“My parents
were shoemakers and I have followed my father’s lead. He inspired me.” said
Jimmy. He made his first shoe when he was only 11 years old, but managed only
to complete six years of formal education at Shih Chung Primary School in
Penang. He worked part
time in restaurants and at a shoe factory to make that extra buck to finance
his studies. It was perhaps in 1986 when Choo began his career as a shoemaker
when he started his workshop in Hackney in East London. After learning from his father about the craft of shoemaking, Choo made his way to England.
There, he attended Cordwainers's
Technical College in London and the London College of Fashion. He is the most
famous of alumni at his college. He graduated in 1983. Now, the college is a part
of the London College of Fashion. Choo has divulged that he worked part-time at
restaurants and as a cleaner at a shoe factory to help fund his college
education. His humble beginnings can be traced back to his workshop in Hackney,
East London, which he opened in 1986 by renting an old hospital building.
http://www.biography.com/people/jimmy-choo-20692491?page=2
http://www.bornrich.com/jimmy-choo2.html
http://www.biography.com/people/jimmy-choo-20692491?page=2
http://www.bornrich.com/jimmy-choo2.html
