World-renowned fashion designer Jimmy Choo came to London in the late eighties from his home in Malaysia. From his first workshop in the East End, Choo created a shoe brand which would be worn by countless celebrities including Princess Diana. Now, he has shifted focus to the next generation of fashion designers through his JCA London Fashion Academy in Hackney. There, students learn the ins and outs of the fashion world with a heavy emphasis on entrepreneurship. He now shares his journey with Finito World readers.

How did you get your start in fashion?

I guess it was meant to be I was born into a shoe-maker family, and that influenced my career path: I decided to follow in  Since I was young, I knew I wanted to be a designer, so I moved to London to study at the Cordwainers Technical College and three years later, in the early 80s, I opened my first shop.

Do you have a favourite design?

I feel especially fond of the ‘Fetto’, which is a classic sling-back style that Princess Diana wore in the 90s. She wore her first pair to a performance of Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall in June 1997, just a few months before her death.

What was Diana like to work with?

She was always very kind to me – she cared so much about other people. That’s the sign of an admirable person – when they’re good to people when you don’t have to be.

How did your father help start your journey with shoes?

I was immersed in the shoe-making process from a young age, and it came naturally to me to take up my father’s passion. He taught me how to make a shoe and guided me to create my first pair when I was 11, which I know seems young but I was impatient to get started well before then. You have to remember that this was before Internet and mobile phones. We did everything with our hands. I’ve been doing it one way or another ever since. Now at the JCA London Fashion Academy, I want to give back a little of what I’ve learned.

Have you had any other mentors?

My father was my most important mentor, although I have been able to work with some incredible designers over the years who have supported me, and back in the 80s, I was awarded a grant and mentorship from the Prince’s Trust which was very valuable to me – and that’s why I’ve decided to return now to mentoring. I know its value, because I’ve experienced it for myself.

What advice would you give to a young person looking to enter the fashion world today?

My biggest piece of advice would be to never give up: you’ve got to learn how to tackle adversity because that’s definitely coming to you. We all have so much potential to create something extraordinary with our talents – and it’s that knowledge which should

So the future’s bright?

It is if you decide to pursue your vision. If you do that, then there will always be a great future ahead: but you have to take the plunge and decide to be true to yourself, and find the ideas that really belong to you.

For more information go to: https://www.jca.ac.uk/