Last week, thirty students from Fulham Cross School were invited to attend ‘An Audience with Prof. Jimmy Choo’, at the St James and St William West London development, White City Living, giving them a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear insights from one of the world's most iconic designers.
Professor Jimmy Choo, OBE, famed for revolutionising the luxury shoe industry and co-founding the global brand that bears his name, rose to prominence through hard work and determination. Now a world-renowned designer, Mr. Choo is passionate about sharing his knowledge and success, in order to help nurture and support emerging talent in the fashion industry.
In 2021 Mr. Choo founded JCA | London Fashion Academy to create a platform where aspiring designers could develop their skills, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Last month JCA opened its first pop-up gallery at White City Living, to provide an opportunity for its fashion students to showcase, market, and sell their designs in an authentic retail environment. The gallery provided the ideal opportunity for the iconic designer to share his story with some of West London’s aspiring fashionistas.
The students from Fulham Cross enjoyed a fascinating interactive Q&A session with the Professor, learning how he started his design career studying at a technical college in Hackney, East London, back in 1986. He then shared a number of highlights from his career, including designing shoes for the late Princess Diana. Throughout the session, he emphasised the vital role that respect, integrity, and treating everyone as equals have played in shaping his career. The event concluded with a mini workshop, with Mr. Choo showing them the basic elements involved in sketching and designing shoes.
Frances Roberts, Business and Communications Officer for Fulham Cross Sixth Form comments: “We have been invited by St James to visit White City Living on a number of occasions to allow our students to get a greater insight into the construction industry.
“We were thrilled to learn about their recent collaboration with JCA | London Fashion Academy which gave them the chance to invite us to bring some of our design students to experience an ‘Audience with Prof. Jimmy Choo’. We felt privileged to have been given this amazing opportunity to meet such an iconic, and inspirational designer – our students were truly impressed by how humble and candid he was about his life.”
Student, Cadi, Yr13, Fulham Cross School, shared his thoughts: “Meeting Prof. Jimmy Choo and seeing the talents of his students at JCA | London Fashion Academy was such a wonderful experience and has motivated me to work on my own portfolio and keep going with my fashion designing dreams! Something significant that he said, was when he told us how he started making shoes with his family in Malaysia and then came to London to continue his legacy of shoe making. This really inspired me – knowing that you are able to start from anywhere, as long as your dream burns bright enough, you will get to where you want.”
Student, Vitali, Yr13, Fulham Cross School, also commented: “I was so impressed by JCA | London Fashion Academy and Prof. Jimmy Choo himself. Having the opportunity to chat with such a wise and creative persona was an unbelievable experience which I will remember for a long time, I even bought a tie as a souvenir from one of JCA’s design students. I especially enjoyed the Q&A session where we were able to ask about Mr. Choo’s journey and inspirations and also when he sketched some heel designs in front of us, with his smooth and professional gestures.”
Professor Jimmy Choo comments: “Working in partnership with St James to open our first pop-up gallery at White City Living created a dynamic space for creative collaboration and community engagement. It was such a pleasure to host the students from Fulham Cross School – they were so engaging and hopefully inspired by the creativity of our student designs on display. We hope it will broaden their artistic horizons and spark ideas for their own future design projects
“It is important to believe in your vision, work tirelessly, and never be afraid to add your own unique twist. Success comes to those where both bold and persistent.”
Neil Ramsdale, Managing Director, St James and St William West London, concludes: “It has been a real privilege for us to have the opportunity to collaborate with Professor Jimmy Choo and his team from JCA | London Fashion Academy, to create the first pop-up gallery at White City Living.
“We have been working with Fulham Cross school for many years, so were thrilled to be able to offer their students a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet one of the world's most iconic designers. We were delighted to receive such positive feedback from the students after their visit, they clearly found Mr. Choo very inspiring.”