Luxury Lineage: A Brief History of

Jimmy Choo

Michael Solomon
Forbes Staff
Lifestyle
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In 21 years, the luxury-footwear brand Jimmy Choo has grown from a modest

London startup to a global brand that sold for $1.2 billion in July. How did it
make that giant leap? It was thanks in large part to Princess Diana, Sex and
the City and millions of women who fell for the shoes head over heels. Let's
retrace the steps ...

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PROMOTED

1986

Jimmy Choo, a Malaysian-born cobbler, opens a made-to-order shoe boutique

in London's East End for private clients, including Princess Diana.
Courtesy of David Harrison/eyevine/Redux.
 DAVID HARRISON/EYEVINE/REDUX

1996

With a £150,000 loan (or $365,000 today) from her father, former
British Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon and Choo launch Jimmy
Choo Ltd.
Courtesy of Hussein/Getty Images.
 HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES

1997

Jimmy Choo opens its first boutique on London's Motcomb Street. That same
year, Diana is photographed on the red carpet wearing Jimmy Choo
slingbacks. In 1998, the first U.S. store opens in New York, where the shoes
start at about $300 a pair.

Courtesy of Jimmy Choo.

 JIMMY CHOO

2000
In Season 3 of Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw has a
Cinderella moment while running for the Staten Island Ferry and exclaims, "I
lost my Choo!"

Courtesy of George Pimentel/Getty Images.

 GEORGE PIMENTEL/GETTY IMAGES

2001

Choo sells his 50% of the company to Equinox Holdings, a private equity firm,
for $30 million. Mellon and co-creative director Sandra Choi, Choo's niece,
stay with the company.
Courtesy of Andy Shaw/Bloomberg.
 ANDY SHAW/BLOOMBERG

2004

A year after launching a handbag line, Jimmy Choo, which now has 23 stores,
is sold to another PE shop, Lion Capital, for £101 million (about $190 million
today). Mellon remains a minority owner.
Courtesy of Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images.
 PETER MACDIARMID/GETTY IMAGES

2007

A 60% stake in Jimmy Choo, now with 60 stores, is sold to management firm
TowerBrook Capital for £185 million (about $430 million today).

Courtesy of Mark Wilson/Getty Images.

 MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES

2009

At her husband's first inaugural ball, Michelle Obama steps out in Jimmy
Choo heels—now on display at the Smithsonian.
Courtesy of Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images.
 PETER MACDIARMID/GETTY IMAGES

2011

Having expanded into perfume and eyewear, Jimmy Choo is sold again—to the
German luxury-goods firm Labelux for $850 million. In November, Mellon
exits the company.
Courtesy of Jason Alden/Bloomberg.
 JASON ALDEN/BLOOMBERG

2014

With 177 stores in 34 countries, Jimmy Choo becomes the first luxury
footwear brand to go public. About 25% of the company is sold in a London
IPO at 140 pence, or $2.24, giving it a market capitalization of about $870
million.
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 INDIGO/GETTY IMAGES

2017

In July, Jimmy Choo is acquired by Michael Kors for $1.2 billion. Sandra Choi
plans to stay with the company, whose shoes (which range from $425 to
$4,595) are now a favorite of Princess Diana's daughter-in-law, Kate
Middleton