HOT Magazine July 15, 2015 | Page 69

time at restaurants and as a cleaner at a shoe factory to help fund his college education. After graduation Choo began work at a shop in Hackney which he opened in 1986 by renting an old hospital building. His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed and his creations became featured in eight pages in a 1988 issue of Vogue. Patronage from Diana, Princess of Wales from 1990 further boosted his image. In 1996 he co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with British Vogue magazine accessories editor Tamara Mellon. In April 2001, Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for £10 million. He has since concentrated his work on the exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line produced under license from Jimmy Choo Ltd. If you are a “shoe-aholic” then there is no better place for you to be than in Kuala Lumpur for the MISF, the Malaysian International Shoe Festival. Jimmy Choo is very involved in the festival and appears yearly where he gives out the Jimmy Choo Award which is awarded to the designer winning the Malaysia Footwear design competition. Khun K. July 15 - August 15 , 2015 69