This shoe company was founded in 1996 by Tamara Mellon, a former accessories editor at Vogue UK, in partnership with a couture shoemaker in London's East End, Jimmy Choo. Together with shoe designer Sandra Choi, it is best known for its fashionista appeal. Worn by celebrities and known as "Jimmy's," the shoes are sexy, high-priced, and sold in eponymous stores in New York, London, Beverly Hills, and Las Vegas, as well as in high-end retail stores around the world. In 2001, Equinox Luxury Holdings acquired Choo's share of the company and, in 2004, Lion Capital acquired a majority shareholding in the company.
See also Footwear; Haute Couture.
Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. Francesca Sterlacci and Joanne Arbuckle.