JIMMY CHOO ENTERS
LUXURY GOODS ARENA
Copyright 2001 www.tombraiderchronicles.com
[ November 21st 2001 ]
Shoe
designer Jimmy Choo is branching out into luxury
goods and hopes to have 25 shops worldwide in
five years' time. He has struck a GBP21million
deal with Equinox Luxury Holdings to expand his
business into perfume, cosmetics, sunglasses and
small leather goods.
The
brand is aiming to rival the likes of Gucci and
Prada, joining Burberry and Paul Smith as one
of only a handful of British fashion names successfully
to go global. The first new shop could be open
by this time next year, with Paris, Milan and
a second boutique in London top of the list. The
firm's president Tamara Mellon said yesterday:
"I think we can build the firm to become a large
luxury goods company."
When
Mrs Mellon, 32, joined the firm in 1996, Jimmy
was designing two pairs of shoes a day by hand
from a workshop in Hackney, East London. Now she
has helped to put Choo on the map with shops in
London, New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Fans
of Jimmy's footwear include Jennifer Aniston,
Cameron Diaz - who wore Choo boots for the premiere
of Charlie's Angels - Hilary Swank, Angelina Jolie
and Cate Blanchett.
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