Jimmy Choo attends the graduation show for students from JCA London College of Fashion, the design and business program he founded in 2021.
Dave Bennett | JCA London College of Fashion | Getty Images
From British royalty to Hollywood stars, Jimmy Choo’s luxurious footwear has been worn on the red carpet by countless celebrities around the world.
Now, Choo is helping the next generation of fashion designers follow in his footsteps, opening a online store Selling clothing and accessories made by students and graduates of JCA London College of Fashion’s design courses.
“My father always said to me, if you have the knowledge and skills, if you pass on your legacy, then the younger generation can have all the skills and knowledge as well,” he told CNBC. Choo was born in Malaysia, where his father taught him how to hand-make shoes.
Choo opened the academy in 2021, offering students a bachelor’s or master’s degree in design and brand innovation entrepreneurship, with business being a key part of the programme.
“It’s very important… (to help) them start a business and understand how to sell,” Choo told CNBC.
According to a description on the website, students study marketing and public relations and write business plans, with the goal of starting their own “micro” fashion business after graduation. College website.
“Without business acumen, even the most talented fashion designers will fail,” Zhu said in a press release.
Black told CNBC that JCA London College of Fashion designer Olivia Black’s series “War on the Environment” aims to highlight the “battle” required to deal with sustainability issues. The picture shows a model wearing a piece by Black at a fashion show on November 28, 2024.
Dave Bennett | JCA London College of Fashion | Getty Images
The college has also opened a temporary physical venue, the JCA Retail Gallery, on the ground floor of the upscale White City living development in west London, where the student collection was on display and sold last week.
“The idea behind launching this program is to give (students) a platform to sell their work without having to pay the fees they would normally pay to (rent) a retail (store) and give them the opportunity to speak to the public,” said one of the academy’s graduates. 1. said Olivia Black, co-curator of the JCA Retail Gallery. The retail space was gifted to the college by real estate firm Berkeley Group.
Black said Choo provided feedback during the creation of her eponymous fashion brand, suggesting she develop the idea for the brand’s theme — an eagle. “He always said, like, focus on what makes the clothes really special,” Black said.
Sustainable development is a focus for students. Many are made from deadstock or second-hand fabrics, while some are modular, with zippers or bows that allow sleeves or leggings to be added or removed for different occasions. Choo suggested that designers could use scraps from luxury clothing production to create more affordable pieces.
JCA London College of Fashion graduate Eleanor Hunter named her brand Average George in honor of her World War II spy grandfather. A model wears a Hunter piece at a fashion show on November 28, 2024.
Dave Bennett | JCA London College of Fashion | Getty Images
Last year, McKinsey predicted that generative Artificial intelligence could add $150 billion As soon as 2026, the operating profits of the fashion and luxury goods industry will reach US$275 billion. He said AI would be useful for students to practice or translate Chinese letters, but warned that it shouldn’t be used for everything.
“Because people can see – if you use artificial intelligence, everything will be the same,” he said. “You can use (it) as a guide, but you can’t accept it 100 percent and do everything. Otherwise, you lose your skills,” Choo said.
Choo studied at London footwear school Cordwainers in the early 1980s and made shoes for a London Fashion Week show later that decade. Vogue reporter Kate Phelan saw his design and called him and said, “Jimmy… we want those shoes,” Qiu told CNBC. The magazine devoted several pages to his shoes, and Choo found a customer in the 1990s, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Choo sells 50% stake in eponymous shoe company When the company is valued at £21m 2001 and The brand is now back Capri Holdingsit is in $1.35 billion deal 2017.
