Tamara Mellon, owner and chief creative officer at the label, said the expansion into men’s wear was a long time coming. “The first thing I look at on a man is his shoes,” she says. “It has always been part of my long-term vision for Jimmy Choo as a luxury lifestyle brand to be for both men and women.”
Established in 1996, Mellon co-founded the label with the Hackney-based Malaysian shoemaker who has given the company his name. Mellon was an editor at Vogue at the time. Now, thanks to television shows like ‘Sex in the City’ and the categorization of sexy shoes worth dying (or at least sacrificing a kidney) for, the brand has grown into a globally celebrated producer of footwear and accessories.
Choo’s shoes for men encompass both casual and formalwear, and according to Mellon, fuse “modern British style with luxurious Italian craftsmanship, a mod aesthetic with a cheeky hint of a Sixties Mayfair playboy”. You’ll find everything from high-top trainers in Cashmere, to bad-boy biker boots, classic Oxford lace-ups, even Single Monks in distressed purple-red suede. Like we said, anything but boring.
Even a quick scan through the catalogue shows how carefully crafted the menswear collection is, bursting with creativity and a refreshing variety of materials and colours. Crocodile, hand-burnished calf, shiny spazzolato, mirror-finish patent, stamped leathers, printed haircalf, it would be difficult to make a more unique men’s collection. With this his first effort, Choo has struck gold, again. Speaking of which, there’s an idea. Gold shoes for men, anyone?
WHO Jimmy Choo
WAT: His new men’s shoes collection
SINCE 1996 (womenswear), 2011 (menswear)
WHY Ideal for the previously over-looked man who wants detail in their shoes and has the confidence to wear something bold. These shoes require a flair for style and are guaranteed to garner attention but will single you out from the crowd without demanding your elegance in exchange.
