Jimmy Choo has revealed why no other royal can compare to Princess Diana.
The esteemed London-based shoemaker, 75, had a long working relationship with the late princess, which was revealed in 1997 when Diana visited the Royal Albert Hall to see Swan Lake in a pair of Jimmy’s satin blue sandals. Choo.
It was the start of a fruitful relationship, and Diana wore the Malaysian-born designer’s shoes on several occasions and even phoned him when she needed to update her wardrobe.
But it was their fond farewells that Choo remembers most deeply, when Diana offered to carry his luggage after the fittings at Kensington Palace.
“She would walk me to the parking lot and try to take my suitcase,” he recalls. ‘I thought… “Princess! What are you doing in the parking lot?”
Princess Diana used to offer to carry Jimmy Choo bags to her car after her visits to Kensington Palace, the famous shoe designer has revealed. Diana is pictured above arriving at Christie’s in New York for a pre-auction party wearing a pair of Choo designs.
Esteemed fashion designer and businessman Jimmy Choo (pictured) recalled fond memories with the “very kind” Princess Diana.
‘The (rest of) the royal family… would they do that? I do not think. They would say “goodbye.” That’s all! “Diana was very kind,” she said. The independent.
The fashion designer revealed that he would arrive at Kensington Palace with a large case full of designs and, together, the couple would sit on the floor and try out designs.
As the relationship blossomed, formalities diminished and Diana eventually called Choo when she wanted to try out some new styles.
He remembered that she always asked him about his family and said that he “cared about everyone.”
In 2001, Choo parted ways with his brand and sold his 50 per cent stake in the company for £10 million.
But it led the luxury footwear pioneer to his next creative project: launching an £18,000-a-year fashion academy in London.
In 2021 the doors of the JCA opened | London Fashion Academy in Mayfair, which is on track to become the UK’s newest university dedicated exclusively to fashion.
Students study fashion design and entrepreneurship at three levels: foundation diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate, with Jimmy acting as a practical guide for aspiring designers.
Talking with The times, explained: ‘London is still my home, so I’ll be in and out. I want to see what they are doing. I want to talk to them, to make sure they come to the academy to study, not because they want to be famous.’
Diana first wore a pair of Jimmy’s designs in 1997 at the Royal Albert Hall for a performance of English National Ballet’s Swan Lake. The blue heels (pictured) matched Diana’s dress perfectly.
The fashion designer revealed that the idea to open a school came from his children and said he had been working on plans for several years.
The idea for the project kept the 75-year-old busy during the Covid-19 crisis while he was locked down in his second home in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and his wife and family lived in London.
The fashion designer revealed that the idea to open a school came from his children and said he had been working on plans for several years.
He said he had noticed that many designers “don’t know business,” and said, “My vision for the academy is to teach them my design knowledge, but also have a business mind.”
He said he had learned his business skills “slowly” over “years and years,” adding: “The Chinese always say, ‘When you drink water, think about where it comes from.'”
The Jimmy Choo brand is loved by celebrities and royalty alike, with the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Cambridge regularly stepping out in the designer’s shoes.
The Academy’s courses combine the latest teachings in contemporary design with the business skills needed to establish and drive successful fashion brands of the future.
Jimmy plans to help develop students into emerging professional designers through a mentoring approach.
Students receive a level of access to internationally recognized design leaders that is unrivaled at traditional colleges and universities.
The JCA | London Fashion Academy has curated a curriculum inspired by Professor Jimmy Choo’s experiences in building his own luxury super brand, as well as the multifaceted skills fashion designers increasingly need in today’s ultra-competitive multi-channel global landscape. .