Cover Datuk Jimmy Choo at the JCA | London Fashion Academy Mayfair campus
Datuk Jimmy Choo at the JCA | London Fashion Academy Mayfair campus
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Fashion icon Datuk Jimmy Choo co-founded the JCA | London Fashion Academy to shape future designers
Behind the fame and success is a filial son and humble man; Datuk Jimmy Choo regales me with the short version of how he made his name. “After finishing my studies in London, I went on to work for a factory to get more experience, while I applied and got my PR status, before I started my own business,” shares Choo about his initial struggles.
“When I started back then, it was thanks to mum’s encouragement, and of course, my dad, who’s a shoe designer too. They saved their money, even sold some of their gold, and gave me some capital to begin with. I didn’t want to ask them for more so I worked in a restaurant part-time to pay my rent and such.”
Looking back, Choo regretted the choice of location for starting his business. In 1986, he opened his first store in an abandoned hospital building (the former Metropolitan Free Hospital) in London’s East End. “There simply weren’t enough people coming around back then to support the business. Together with my father, we started designing some sandals to be sold at a Sunday market. It wasn’t under the Jimmy Choo label then; we just marked them as ‘handmade’ to be sold at an affordable rate,” says Choo, who would sell out all 50 pairs of sandals each week.
Read more: Jimmy Choo takes us on a tour of his penthouse in KL
Stephen Smith, co- founder and director of JCA, Datuk Jimmy Choo, and Ha Smith, director of incubation of JCA
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Thanks to his grit, resilience and persistence, his business managed to sustain itself, and he caught a lucky break not long after. His designs caught the eye
of a couple of fashion designers who wanted to purchase his sandals for their upcoming show in London Fashion Week. Instead of selling the footwear, Choo wanted his name out there, so they worked together and allowed him to promote his footwear. This gamble paid off, as Vogue magazine noticed the footwear and went on to feature Choo’s designs. As a result, his label grew in demand and popularity—being worn by the likes of (the late) Princess Diana, Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, and other renowned celebrities.
“My father always told me, ‘If you learn something good, you must pass it on,’ which is why I’m now involved in education,” says the famed designer turned professor who co-founded the JCA | London Fashion Academy in 2021. “Stephen Smith (his co-founder) and I were discussing starting an academy 20 years ago while he was teaching elsewhere, and finally, it has become a reality.”
But of course, things weren’t easy, especially opening the academy amid a pandemic. “My father taught me that you can’t always be successful right away, so it took us time to get started properly. A year into the pandemic, we found what we believe is a great location at Hanover Square in London’s Mayfair, focusing on fashion and marketing [courses]. And we can proudly say we’re doing well, as we managed to expand the campus to include a property in West London, at Boston Manor House, which focuses on handcrafting and includes atelier workshops and design studios with specialist fabrication tools, co-working spaces and event spaces that are open to the public,” says Choo, who then cheekily adds, “Otherwise, I won’t be talking to you.”
A down-to-earth man, Choo reveals that he rarely gives interviews and prefers to let the work he’s done speak for itself. On top of the quality education, facilities and location afforded by JCA, Choo believes that he is also one of the drawing factors for students enrolling in the academy.
Choo is rightly proud to continue being an active player in the realm of fashion. He is the creative director of haute couture brand The Atelier, with flagship stores in Kuala Lumpur, London, and Shanghai, and designs shoes under the label Zhou Yang Jie (Choo’s birth name). His celebrity status was evident during our interview, as both locals and international guests at The Four Seasons KL, where we met, would come up to him and ask to take selfies, to which he happily obliged.
See also: 5 minutes with Son Na-eun, Jimmy Choo's first South Korean ambassador
Above Choo inspecting the work of a JCA alum
Above Choo in a design programme catered for children from an English school
Choo inspecting the work of a JCA alum
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“I had confidence that we would be able to make JCA flourish, because of my reputation as well. I’ve been travelling around the world for more than 20 years, and now there’s a number of international students who have joined us, even from countries where there are more established fashion schools,” shares Choo, who reveals that JCA now welcomes foreign students as well. Their intake now sees students from countries like New York, Japan, Korea, Paris, Thailand, Spain and Malaysia.
“That also helps JCA students get an added advantage in building their careers. On top of drawing from my wealth of experience in branding and marketing for their own labels, designs, or products, they can easily tap into international markets through the connections they build at the academy,” says the world renowned designer. It’s worth noting that JCA’s first set of English graduates are ready to make their mark in the world of fashion and design this year.
One thing that Choo wants to inculcate among the students at JCA is a sense of camaraderie and a proper support system, from the start of their journey at JCA up until they begin running their own businesses or step out into the world of fashion. “It’s important for my students to care for and help each other; there shouldn’t be a sense of jealousy. In the end, I want them to lend a helping hand to one another when they can. The main thing I want them to take away as they leave is how to express their creativity, set up a business, and work well with others too.”
JCA also affords its students the opportunity to prominently exhibit their exceptional work across a diverse array of mediums, ranging from captivating runway presentations to impactful showcase formats. Most recently, the school partnered with This Is Icon to host its second London Fashion Week show in September last year. It showcased the latest collections of prominent designers who were former graduates of JCA, alongside the current cohort of BA students and MA Learner-Entrepreneurs.
When asked for one piece of advice for those planning to enter the world of fashion, the purpose-driven designer says, “Keep learning and put your heart into what you do. I wouldn’t say I’m successful yet; I’m still learning, and as my father said, it’s important to keep learning, no matter your age.”
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Images: Courtesy of JCA/Jay Anderson Commercial Photography
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