Choo named ambassador for Diana Award
Shoe designer vows to continue her legacy
PETALING JAYA: Renowned shoe designer Datuk Jimmy Choo has been appointed as Ambassador for The Diana Award, the 20th year since the passing of the People’s Princess.
“It’s an honour and I’m grateful to be the Ambassador for (The) Diana Award to raise funds and continue Princess Diana’s legacy,” Choo posted on his Instagram account @profjimmychoo on Wednesday.
The Penang-born designer said he would help raise funds for the environment and inspire the youth.
“I am proud and honoured to be accorded this appointment. This is for Malaysia, for National Day and Malaysia Day as a Anak Malaysia,” he said when contacted in London.
The Diana Award was set up in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her belief that young people have the power to change the world for the better.
It is the longest-running award for young people that is given only through a retrospective nomination process. Today, it has the support of her sons Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry.
“Princess Diana was very committed to the fashion industry here in the United Kingdom and my commitment is to keep her memory alive by further expanding her role in fashion globally,” said the shoemaker to the stars.
His homage entitled “My Tribute to Diana” will be showcased at Malaysia Fashion Week (MFW) from Oct 18-22 at Publika.
According to MFW chairman Nancy Yeoh, the exhibition will feature Diana’s last pair of Choo-made shoes, which was never collected.
“She ordered it as ‘flat pumps V-cut’ made from Italian silk faille, which Choo ordered from Joel & Sons, the Queen’s fabric supplier,” said Yeoh.
The shoes will be flown from London for the show, together with several replicas of “the Diana shoes from the Diana years” made specially for the MFW exhibition.
Choo previously shared a story of how nervous he was to be summoned to Kensington Palace one day in 1990.
But all his fears disappeared when he met her: “She was very, very beautiful, even lovelier in real life than in pictures. She was very kind and we had afternoon tea together.”
That visit was the start of a beautiful friendship, with Diana ordering six pairs of shoes that day.
He made shoes for her until her death on Aug 31, 1997.