Jimmy Choo, I love you!

I got the opportunity this past week to meet with Jennifer, a store associate at Jimmy Choo Copley Place, to learn a little about the brand and get a feeling of what trends were featured in the upcoming fall/winter collection. I was prepared to be dazzled by the shoes, this was Jimmy Choo after all, however I left with a feeling of warmth towards the brand. Yes, we are talking very high end shoes, however the store, brand, and customer conscious that I encountered were not one that I expected. To start, the store is a great fun place to visit with a very helpful and caring staff. The brand speaks for itself, it is at the cutting edge of shoe design because it makes exquisite shoes. However the customer conscious and practicality of the brand is what I was most surprised by. While it is always fun for me to try and totter around in 4 inch heels, for my daily life (and feet!) it is not practical for me. Yes, Jimmy Choo had many beautiful platform heels towering 5-7 inches, however they offered the best selection of heel height I have seen in a store. Everything from a tiny kitten to 7 inches, they were beautiful shoes, made to be worn. They also offer fewer styles, but with the option of many colors in each. I really liked that if you are a fan of one of their shoes, you could get them in 5 other colors and know you have a knock out shoe line up for years to come. All shoes are made in Italy and quality is something that obviously is very closely watched. Any problem you may have with a shoe, will be taken to a custom cobbler in the Boston or New Jersey area and fixed. It seemed once you are in, you literally are in for the life of your shoe and Jimmy Choo stands completely beside it. On a final note on the brand, I was blown away by their handbag line and new line of luggage. A suitcase made with a special compartment to carry eight pairs of shoes, count me in! It was a part of the brand I was unfamiliar with, thinking it was primarily shoes, however the silhouette, leather, and everyday sensible design of the bags were something that season after season would be a great staple. (As an example their Ramona bag was first created in 1996, and although it changes colors/hardware each year, it is still the exact same bag they started with and looks fabulous in 2011…..you certainly can’t say that about many other high end designer bags!)

So while I was sad that I myself was not going to be able to afford one of these beautiful pairs of shoes or handbags anytime in the immediate future (a sigh and hope for the prospect of one someday J) I really did learn a lot about the brand, but more importantly got a first peek into the new fall/winter season of shoes. First off for boots, height is still in. Most of Choo’s boots were still at the above the knee/thigh level. The heels on them were a bit thinner than past season’s and made the look a bit more toned down in my opinion (some of the knee/thigh highs scared me last year!) On the opposite end of the boot spectrum were beautiful everyday motorcycle boots, perfect for everyday around the city and skinny jeans. They were a cleaner version of the boots than last season, with less heavy hardware and a softer finish. As for heels, the skinner stiletto heel was back, with the exception of a few platform heels. Color wise, I was in love. Neutrals, neutrals, neutrals. With the exception of a few animal prints, the entire collection was ruled with nudes, tans, black, brown, and metallic. Man, do I love a good neutral shoe or handbag that goes with everything!

And so my visit had come to an end and I walked out with a breathe of fresh air on a brand that I felt I knew, but left feeling that I had my eyes opened by. If you are a Jimmy Choo lover, make sure and check back, as Stilista and Jimmy Choo Copley Square will be hosting an event together in the near future!

-Carly