Following the journey of Jimmy Choo

Jimmy Choo is celebrating 20 years in the industry this year, and, of course, and the British shoe brand is marking this landmark in style. Memento, their capsule collection of 20 shoes and accessories has been unveiled, and they pay tribute to the brand's iconic red carpet legacy.
Then, there's the launch of a limited edition shoe trunk to house your Choos in, and its new advertising campaign features a lineup of seven notable models for its Autumn/Winter collection, including the likes of Amber Valletta, Milla Jovovich and Sasha Pivovarova. Jimmy Choo has always been a pioneer in the art of red carpet dressing and courted Hollywood from the day they started operations.
There's no doubt it is a power brand, now having close to 170 stores worldwide. And the woman who has seen the brand's growth and evolution happen before her eyes is Sandra Choi, creative director and niece of the man the brand is named after. Jimmy Choo, in fact, left the company in 2001, making Choi the only constant in the brand's twenty-year journey.
Find out more about the usually media- shy creative director, whose shoes have been a favourite of Princess Diana, Jennifer Lopez and Emma Stone, amongst others. Edited excerpts below.

How does it feel to have gone from being thebrand's first employee, working alongside Mr Choo, to becoming the creative director?

Having been with the company since the inception, Jimmy Choo is part of my DNA. I have lived and breathed the brand for my whole working life, and it is definitely a part of me.
What is a usual day for Sandra Choi like?
I am not sure there is such a thing as a 'typical day' in this role, which is why it still inspiresme nearly 20 years on! I have two young daughters, so my day starts early with the usual juggle of breakfast and getting my eldest to school on time. Then I head straight to the office at 9am where I spend my day in meetings, editing collections, working in the design studio with my talented team or meeting with stylists and editors. In the evening, I may go to an industry event or rush back home in time to say goodnight to my girls. I travel a lot as well. This is inspiring and eye-opening, as it is great to see the style in other countries.
Do you wear high heels all day?
No, I dress according to the demands of my day. I wear flats for a sense of practicality and comfort when I am in the office or for when I have to run around.
For events, I like to add more glamour and sophistication to my outfit so I wear heels. 100mm (3.9 inches) is my perfect height; I am short so I always need that extra height!
You once said you admire a woman who wears flats to an event - so does that mean you do not believe in the "no pain, no gain "fashion mantra?
You need to know what styles and heel heights work for you, how they make you feel, and consider whether they are appropriate for the occasion you are wearing them to. If you need to be fast on your feet, then sneakers or biker boots will be just as appealing, and make you look good whilst you are on the move.
 
What's your take on men's shoes, since Jimmy Choo is now also designing for men? Is there something men pay more or less attention to than women?
There are many shared disciplines when it comes to designing shoes for men and women.Men don't have the challenge of heels and the architectural precision they command. However, men's shoes have a more committed focus to the design details, the technicalities used in their creation and form and the sense of innovation. You can really experiment with materials and construction. It has been an exciting challenge, designing the men's collection.
How do you feel Jimmy Choo has evolved over the last 20 years?

At the beginning, we were a small team learning on the job, and our decisions were instinctive and reactive. Over time, experience has allowed us to become more proactive. We have continued to grow the brand  ambitiously in terms of both product and business due to the success of the past, which is something we are immensely proud of.
One of the biggest changes to my role is leading the creative design process across all product categories and brand image, whilst being a public spokesperson for the brand. It is something I am still learning to balance; I feel immensely proud of my role and enjoy speaking about the product and the brand, but find it harder talking about the more personal things.
Who is the Jimmy Choo girl?

She is every woman! She is intelligent and open-minded. We are very fortunate to have a global customer who isn't defined by age, or culture. What the Jimmy Choo woman shares is an innate confidence and effortless glamour. She is cosmopolitan, daring, instinctively seductive and playful.

sujata@khaleejtimes.com

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