In some fashion universe, TV’s fashion cheerleader Carrie Bradshaw is probably talking to her husband, John James “Mr. Big” Preston, and gazing at all of her shoes. After all, the former Ms. Bradshaw, a lover of shoes, missed her ferry ride home during an old episode of HBO’s “Sex and the City” after slipping out of a designer shoe and crying out, “Wait, I lost my Choo!”

The “Choo” she was referring to, of course, is the red carpet favorite Jimmy Choo, the London-based footwear and accessories label that‘s celebrating its 20th anniversary.

“Jimmy Choo is a very celebratory brand,” said Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo’s creative director, during a March luncheon and store appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. “The red carpet and the celebrity dressing has been such a key backbone in the making of Jimmy Choo.”

Choi, who lives in England, met with fans of the brand and previewed the Memento anniversary collection of red carpet-ready shoes and bags, available online at jimmychoo.com, in stores and at retailers including Saks. She said the capsule collection of clutches and sparkly shoes, which feature reimagined details, reflects a celebration of Jimmy Choo's past while capturing what she feels glamour means today.

“Dressing up in a glamorous way means that your shoes are just as beautiful (as your clothes),” Choi said. “They might not need to be as fashion as how the fashion world see(s) footwear. Glamour is about timelessness. And glamour is about being unique.”

As part of the occasion, Jimmy Choo also has released a limited-edition, $65,000 shoe trunk made from a pale galuchat-embossed leather and outfitted with 20 shoe drawers lined with suede and a brass cardholder to fit a shoe sketch from the Memento collection (or other artwork). The trunk is available at select Jimmy Choo flagship stores and by special order.

Also, a brand top seller and fan favorite is included in the Memento collection. “It’s called Lance,” Choi said. “It was designed back in 2009. And to today, 2016, it’s still going very strong. ... Because it has been so well loved, we couldn’t quite move it along. So we just kept it in the collection. Lance is one shoe that will make the best foot really go forward.” (Tribune Content Agency)

By Marques Harper

Los Angeles Times