How Tamara Mellon built Jimmy Choo with a Malaysian cobbler and turned rock bottom into a luxury powerhouse that dressed every red carpet.
Tamara Mellon transformed a recovery setback into a fashion empire, partnering with a Malaysian cobbler to build Jimmy Choo from a single workshop into an $800 million luxury brand.
After leaving rehab, Mellon convinced Jimmy Choo, a Malaysian cobbler working in Hackney, to partner with her. Her father lent her £150,000 for half the company, which she had to pay back.
The first boutique opened in London in 1996 with shoes made in Italy. The brand became a status symbol on red carpets when celebrities like Cate Blanchett and Halle Berry wore them, and Sex and the City introduced the name to American audiences.
Labelux bought Jimmy Choo for $800 million in 2011. Mellon, who had sold down her stake over the years, walked away with $135 million from the sale.
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