The entrepreneur – who founded the footwear and accessories brand in 1996 along with former cobbler Jimmy Choo – has stepped down as Chief Creative Officer of the company following its takeover and integration with private Italian luxury goods group Labelux.
The 44-year-old entrepreneur – who ceased to have any financial interest in the group after its $800 million acquisition in May – is set to be followed out of the company by current Chief Executive Joshua Schulman, who will complete a transition phase into 2012.
Labelux’s chief executive Reinhard Mieck is quoted as telling the Financial Times newspaper: “Jimmy Choo is an outstanding brand with enormous growth potential and the ability to deliver material growth synergies across our group.
“With a successful transition behind them, we respect their wish to move on to other challenges.”
Since Tamara and Jimmy set up the business it has grown from being a small company to a global brand, which sells handbags, scarves and fragrances, among other luxury items.
Earlier this year, Tamara – who was awarded an OBE in 2010 for her services to Britain’s fashion industry – explained she is “extremely proud” of the company’s heritage and put the success of the group down to its constant flow of “innovation and energy”.
She said: “Keeping innovation and energy flowing is key. I dreamed of creating the perfect luxury accessory house, one that captures the hearts of women around the world.
“Even now with everything that we have accomplished we are far from resting on our laurels, what excites me most is the thrill of the next project, the next idea.
“While I am enormously proud of our brand’s heritage, I know the best is yet to come.”
Even though my flat is filled with reusable bags that I’ve accumulated over the years a girl can never have too many! And especially bags that help raise funds for charity.
Founder and chief creative officer of Jimmy Choo, Tamara Mellon OBE has created an exclusive bag for The Body Shop and ECPAT‘s global Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People (SST) campaign.
The bag is decorated with handprints from Nicole Kidman, Jamie Oliver, Mark Ronson, Mira Sorvino, Joanna Lumley and Piers Morgan and will be sold for a limited run in The Body Shop for £4.00.
Retailing at £4.00, profits from the sale of The STOP bag will be used to combat and raise awareness of sex trafficking of children and young people.
The bag is made from raw 100% community fair trade cotton and feature a fuschia trim and shoulder strap which is certain to brighten up those shopping trips in the winter months!
Tamara also recently declared that “innovation” is key to making Jimmy Choo successful and says she loves working on new projects, “Keeping innovation and energy flowing it key. I dreamed of creating the perfect luxury accessory house, one that captures the hearts of women around the world.
“Even now with everything that we have accomplished we are far from resting on our laurels, what excites me most is the thrill of the next project, the next idea.
“While I am enormously proud of our brand’s heritage, I know the best is yet to come.”
Jimmy Choo is launching a capsule collection based on its most memorable styles.
The shoe label – run by British executive Tamara Mellon – has collated a number of famous items including a feather sandal worn by Carrie Bradshaw in ‘Sex and the City’ and a peep-toe once worn by Natalie Portman for the set, which will also feature re-worked new versions of old classics.
Tamara said: “I wanted to create a modern capsule collection by memorable styles from our history that represented milestone moments for the brand and embody the DNA of our house style.
“These modern interpretations of classic designs represent the iconic glamour of Jimmy Choo today.”
The collection will be able to be seen in a book, Jimmy Choo XV, which will be available from February next year.
The footwear brand was recently sold to luxury goods group Labelux for $855 million, with Tamara saying she was “delighted” to be part of the business family.
She said: “I am immensely proud of all we have achieved over the last 15 years and delighted we are to be part of Labelux, a partner that I know shares our values and passion and [that] seeks ambitious growth in the luxury industry.
“This is wonderful news for the women who are, or who aspire to become, part of the Jimmy Choo lifestyle.”
Jimmy Choo has been sold for a reported £525.5 million.
The footwear company – which was bought by TowerBrook in 2007 for £225 million – will now be under the ownership of luxury goods group Labelux.
Jimmy Choo creative officer Tamara Mellon told WWD: “I am immensely proud of all we have achieved over the last 15 years and delighted we are to be part of Labelux, a partner that I know shares our values and passion and [that] seeks ambitious growth in the luxury industry.
“This is wonderful news for the women who are, or who aspire to become, part of the Jimmy Choo lifestyle.”
Labelux plan to work on developing Jimmy Choo in the fast-developing Asian market.
Jimmy Choo CEO Joshua Schulman said: “Labelux is really complementary to Jimmy Choo with its focus on luxury fashion, accessories and jewellery.
“We look forward to partnering with them on our [aggressive] growth plans.”
Earlier this year, it was revealed founder Jimmy Choo was seeking advice to make a £500 million bid to buy back his firm.
An unnamed London-based investment bank said: “Mr Jimmy Choo has hired Daniel Stewart, so that he can assess his own options and any ways that he might be able to participate in the process.”
However, the plan soon fizzled out and at one stage TowerBrook mooted floating Jimmy Choo on the stock exchange.
We heart H&M. It’s cheap(ish), kooky, and collaborates with top designers, most recently Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel, creating cheaper ranges for us to get our eager paws on.
But just when we thought the store had done all it could to get us in it’s good books, it’s gone that step further, announcing a range of ethical ventures.
First up is it’s collection of floral and feminine fashion made from sustainable materials including organic and fair trade cotton. However, we hope this collection doesn’t backfire like it’s last ones where the chain was accused of using contaminated cotton for it’s organic ranges.
Ann-Sofie Johansson, Head of Design at H&M said: “We are extremely proud of our Garden Collection for women, which has organic and recycled materials in every single garment.
“The mix of floral prints and khaki classics works brilliantly for day to evening wear.”
Continuing the ethical traill the store will also launch its first ever range of skin care with certified organic ingredients. The range of everyday essentials includes shower gel, body scrub, body lotion, hand cream and lip balm, all of which are based on natural, organic ingredients and certified by Ecocert – Europe’s biggest certification body for organic and natural cosmetics.
We think a little bit of ethical spending may be in order here.
We suspected there might be a few red dresses tonight, and Sigourney Weaver has proved us right by turning out in crimson chiffon.
The Avatar star has ticked a lot of trend boxes by opting for a grecian-style, one-shouldered Lanvin number, with jewellery by Neil Lane and shoes by Jimmy Choo. The colour makes a change from the predominant hue of her dystopian movie, which is nominated for Best Picture. “I’m in red tonight, but I’m still blue underneath”, she joked.
It seems the fashion world has gone trainer mad today.
Earlier this morning we reported that Diana Ross and Steve Madden had teamed up to create a range of these and now Jimmy Choo, which is already collaborating with Uggs to create casual footwear, has stepped into the limelight announcing the launch of its street-cool sneaker line.
The brand best known for its gorgeous superhigh stilletoe heels, has created a collection of eight trainers, which include, suede and snakeskin designs finished with gold touches in low and high-top styles.
Could trainers be the next Manolos? And with so many fashionable trainers hitting the shelves will the “no trainers” policy in clubs be lifted?
If you love the sophistication and design of a Jimmy Choo shoe, but like many of our readers hate Uggs, then you may want to look away now.
The two footwear companies have just announced they are working together on a collection of women’s sheepskin footwear, which will be hitting the shops in October.
The range, which includes 5 styles made up of different colourways, is said to be based on the traditional Ugg boot and will combine the sophistication of the Jimmy Choo brand we lust after each season.
Tamara Mellon, president of Jimmy Choo said:: “Other than Jimmy Choo, UGG Australia is the only other footwear I have in my wardrobe. We are delighted to have created a special capsule that captures the best of both brands – the legendary comfort of UGG with the spirit of Jimmy Choo.”
However when two well known brands get together the results aren’t cheap. Prices for the range will start from a huge £495.
Are you an Ugg lover who will you be saving up for these? Or do you think these designs will be as ghastly as the traditional sheepskin Uggs?
The hotly-anticipated Jimmy Choo for H&M line of shoes, clothing and accessories launches in stores tomorrow, and we’re expecting queues of the sort not seen since the Comme des Garcons collection. The excitement is completely understandable – a lot of the shoes on sale are very similar to the full-price version, which means something approaching shoe perfection.
There are also some rather nice accessories, including a statement necklace that’ll glam up any LBD this Christmas. And if the man in your life is in need of a style update, there are classic Chelsea boots and cashmere-blend sweaters. But you should probably get there fast, because these clothes and shoes are going to be in high demand!
This video from the launch party shows most of the range in action, including Paris Hilton declaring her love for (shock, horror) the pink box clutch.
We’ve put together a gallery of our favourite bits. Click the shoes below to start.
It’s the event we’ve all been waiting for. Jimmy Choo at H&M, and with the launch party happening yesterday, we’re one step closer to seeing the collection in our local stores (10 more days to go.)
It seems celebrities are also as excited as we are with Hayden Panettiere, Garcelle Beauvais, Paris and Nicky Hilton turning up to the party, which took place in LA.
Not only did they get to schmooze with Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon they also got a sneak preview at the collection. Some people have all the luck.
Get your hands on some Jimmy Choo accessories without feeling guilty about spending.
The shoe designer has teamed up with the Elton John AIDS Foundation to create the ‘PEP-up Shop’ featuring a host of limited edition Jimmy Choo products, made especially for the project.
The event, which takes place at Selfridges from Friday 30 October, will only last for 72 hours (yes we’ll be queuing from dawn too), and will include exclusive products such as a cuff, ID-tag and a mobile strap.
And, as we told you before, you won’t need to feel guilty about spending as Jimmy Choo will donate 25% of the sales of the Project PEP capsule collection directly to the Simelela centre. This will give victims access to vital life saving treatments that have to be administered within the first 72 hours of exposure to HIV. We see it as giving our annual charity donation early.
And it doesn’t end there. The designer has also created website and is asking everyone to upload photos of themselves wearing their Choo’s, as part of a campaign entitled ‘You, Your Shoes and 72.’
Images will be showcased at the global launch of Project PEP at Selfridges and 100 of the best pictures will win products from the Jimmy Choo capsule collection.
H&M has worked with many designers over the past few years and we’re ashamed to say we’ve succumbed to buying at least one item from nearly each collection.
A while ago we told you the high street store was collaborating with Jimmy Choo and now it’s gone one step further, announcing that it will also be working with fashion designer, Sonia Rykiel.
The designer, best known for her love of all things Scottish and wooly, will be designing a range for winter 2009 and spring 2010. You can get your hands on the first part of the collection, which will consist of lingerie and accessories from December 5.
If you want something that will keep you that little bit warmer however, you’ll have to wait until the middle of February for the designer’s second collection, which will include a range of knitwear.
We wonder if it’s too early to start queuing from now.
Tamara Mellon has quit Jimmy Choo.
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