Jimmy Choo’s founder Mellon makes her exit
TAMARA Mellon has stepped down as chief creative officer of Jimmy Choo, the shoe brand she co-founded 16 years ago, following its £500m acquisition by European luxury goods group Labelux in May.
Labelux, which also owns the Swiss bag designer Bally and fashion label Derek Lam, announced yesterday that Mellon will leave Jimmy Choo this month followed by chief executive Joshua Schulman, who will step down early next year.
Jimmy Choo has been sold four times since Mellon, a former Vogue accessories editor, founded the label with the eponymous Malaysian-born shoemaker in 1996.
Vienna-based Labelux bought the company from private equity firm TowerBrook, who in turn acquired Jimmy Choo in 2007 for £185m, driving the brand’s expansion overseas and introducing other accessories.
Jimmy Choo now encompasses more than 120 stores in 32 countries worldwide and is a regular red-carpet favourite among celebrities. It hit sales of £150m last year.
Mellon and Schulman will leave following its transition to Labelux’s ownership and “management control”, the group said.
Labelux was founded in 2007.