Jimmy Choo (centre in sunglasses), flanked by Eric Chiu, Eu Yan Sang Malaysia senior managing director (right), and Datuk Seri Anne Eu, Eu Yan Sang Malaysia chairman (left), at the launch of his latest collaboration project. Photo: Eu Yan Sang
There are many ways to define heritage. For renowned designer Datuk Prof Jimmy Choo, it is expressed through humility.
The style icon, who has travelled extensively and carried Malaysia’s name across the globe, just wants his work to speak for itself.
“Although I sold my shoe business more than 20 years ago, the Jimmy Choo name still follows me no matter what,” he shares.
“My advice is always to make people believe in your brand. Ensure the quality is there, and respect your customers.”
That philosophy continues to guide his latest creative endeavour – a collaboration with health and wellness brand Eu Yan Sang, for which Choo designed a special bag in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.
The piece draws deeply from both tradition and his personal cultural influences.
The bag Jimmy Choo designed draws from tradition and heritage, but he tells his story in the details. Photo: Eu Yan SangRead more: From rivals to partners: Why fashion’s collab culture still thrives
“It is inspired by me being Chinese, and also by my time spent living in the UK,” he explains.
“I thought about the Chinese coin with the square hole in the centre, as well as the bags carried by English gentlemen. And orange is my favourite colour.”
Choo’s striking bag is part of Eu Yan Sang’s Chinese New Year gifting options, which includes modern premium gift boxes and trunks, as well as traditional wellness hampers.
They blend tradition and fashion, with the aim of sparking an intergenerational cultural dialogue.
Though his name is synonymous with global luxury, Choo is quick to dismiss the idea of superstardom.
Even with decades of acclaim behind him, he continues to work actively, driven by a desire to build and contribute rather than rest on past achievements.
Among his key initiatives today is the Jimmy Choo Academy in London, which aims to redefine fashion education by bridging craftsmanship with contemporary business realities.
He has also launched his own couture label, The Atelier, where he returns to his roots of meticulous handcraft, now applied across a broader spectrum of fashion design beyond footwear.
“I have worked with many famous people – the late Princess Diana, as well as queens of Jordan, Denmark and Sweden, and also high society figures,” he says.
“But what’s important is to be sincere to everyone, no matter who they are.”
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Born in Penang, Choo grew up watching his father craft shoes in a small workshop – an early exposure that planted the seeds of his future. He later pursued his studies in London, where his dream of becoming a designer fully took shape.
After being featured in fashion magazines like Vogue, his shoes achieved pop-culture stardom.
Yet no matter how far his career has taken him, Malaysia never left his heart.
“Chinese New Year is very important for us Chinese. No matter where you are, you cannot forget your roots,” he says.
That connection to heritage is also what drew him to Eu Yan Sang, a brand with a long and storied history of its own.
Founded in 1879 in Perak, the company’s Malaysian origins struck a personal chord with Choo and ultimately led him to accept the collaboration.
“No matter how widely I travel, I still return to my country, Malaysia. I love my country. I’m truly a Malaysian,” he declares.
