STEPPING INTO THE FUTURE: STUDENTS AT THE JIMMY CHOO ACADEMY SHOWCASE AT LONDON FASHION WEEK
By: hillary LeBlanc
Jimmy Choo, Order of British Excellence and the infamous shoe of choice on Sex and the City, is best known for being a shoe designer. However, he has recently been helping to develop the next generation of designers in his brand based out of the United Kingdom. Choo created his namesake Jimmy Choo Academy in London with the mission to grow and develop designers under his academic leadership whilst participating in an incubator program. Recently, the Jimmy Choo Academy students were able to showcase at London Fashion Week and have shared with us their experience.
Lucy Choi, the Director of Jimmy Choo Academy at London Fashion Academy tells us that Professor Jimmy Choo wanted to give back to society just like his father taught him. “Prof. Jimmy Choo is passionate about giving back and sharing his knowledge with the next generation of design talent. The academy was his dream project, and the supported talent coming from it, are his legacy. Sustainability is such a key issue in today’s society, especially in the fashion industry, so it was very important to him to have a major focus on social responsibility when opening the Jimmy Choo Academy.”
The first class of the Jimmy Choo Academy graduated June 2024 with excellent results and many of the students received 1st class degrees. Choi shares, “Many graduates, both from the Undergraduate and Masters programs have their own brands now. Supporting students to create their own brands is a core pillar of the Jimmy Choo Academy program with the goal that every designer that comes through the door will have their own brand upon graduation. A few graduates have done solo shows during London Fashion Week after they have graduated, which is a huge accomplishment. The Jimmy Choo Academy has also supported the students by opening up a pop-up gallery in London where they can sell their products and a lasting e-commerce website. Our students have had their products featured in music videos, magazine and dressing celebrities such as India Amarteifio. The biggest goal for any designer is to be commercially viable; many of our graduates have already begun their commercial success. It’s been incredible to see the success happen so quickly for them.”
Recently, the Jimmy Choo Academy, showcased the Masters students’ works at London Fashion Week which Choi shares was important to have the students be recognized globally. “The students have had their work seen by the press and shared with the world. The MA show that we put on during LFW every September, is comprised of entirely sustainably focused designers, creating an industry mark. Our students have been interviewed for Live TV and global press which has been monumental in getting their brand out to the world.”
John-Owen Hicks is one of the students who showed at London Fashion Week this September. Hicks is a pioneering evening wear designer who launched House of the Blitzed, which redefines boundaries of fashion. The brand creates garments that transcend gender and transform eveningwear into a dynamic experience. Each design is a celebration of storytelling, theatricality, and unrestrained joy, with every detail contributing to a rich narrative. House of the Blitzed pays homage to creative director Hicks’s enthusiasm of turning garments into vivid canvases, each piece reflects the vibrant tapestry of queer subcultures, with elements of drag, club culture, and avant-garde artistry. The brand invites audiences to enjoy fashion as performance, and every outfit tells its own unique story. Hour of the Blitzed is a jubilant celebration of self-expression and defined as a thrilling new chapter in the fashion world.
John-Owen Hicks, courtesy of Chris Yates
Hicks shares that the course content at Jimmy Choo Academy forced him to change his thinking into an entrepreneurial way of thinking, whilst also developing his creative process. “It was cool to see my work in a real-world context and understand how I can make it work as a business. It was definitely a big learning curve and a surreal experience.” Hicks’ goal to create gender non-conforming clothing came from frustrations within the industry’s exclusive natural. “I wanted to create a space for customers to express themselves and play with gender boundaries. Gender has become a hot topic recently and I wanted to authentically represent the queer community and carve out a safe space in the industry.”
The name House of the Blitzed takes heavy inspiration from queer party sub-cultures, namely the Blitz kids, Hicks tells us. “I resonated with their rag-tag DIY culture. It was a collection of misfits celebrating the joy of dressing. It’s also sort of a double entendre with Blitzed being slang for drunk. I want to inject a sense of humour into every facet of the House’s DNA.”
For the future of House of the Boytzed, Hicks wants to push toward fashion illustration business with the entrepreneurial practices he learned from the Jimmy Choo Academy. “I’m currently taking on commissions with clients which I’m really enjoying. House of the Blitzed is all about uplifting those social outliers and embracing joy and colour. I’ll take these morals into whatever the future holds.”
Designer Kaci Horseman, also part of the Jimmy Choo Academy, founded Kaci Kemp, a sustainable brand that promotes upcycling through her collection by repurposing innovative materials. The universal brand is bridging the gap between the abled and disabled communities. Horseman aims to set a new standard for inclusivity within the fashion industry.
Horseman feels the Jimmy Choo Academy has opened new opportunities for her and provided a platform to showcase her work. Her sustainable fashion is also created for the disabled community. Horseman wanted her brand to focus on both disabled and able-bodied communities, which is inspired by her background as an orthotic technician, where she made medical equipment. “Designing fashion for the disabled community focuses on inclusivity, functionality, and empowerment. Combining this expertise with fashion, I recognized a gap in the market for universal and adaptive clothing. Developing these garments has involved extensive product testing, with a process of trial and error to ensure functionality, accessibility, and features like easy closures.”
The biggest challenge Horseman has faced is designing garments that are both stylish but also fit comfortably in seated positions for those in wheelchairs but still look appealing when standing. “I addressed this by focusing on pattern cutting to accommodate different postures. Additionally, I incorporated functional features to enhance accessibility and ease of use.”
Horseman uses deadstock fabric and upcycled materials to promote sustainability and reduce waste. “This approach is essential to convey the concept behind my collection, as it highlights my narrative through the unconventional materials I incorporate. I source these materials from various places, including charity shops, vinted and companies/ manufacturers that have fabric remnants.” Horseman hopes to become a leader in inclusive and sustainable fashion, creating designs that will make real change in people’s lives.
Via Ciauri, is a London-based luxury fashion brand founded by sisters Sabrina and Mia Ciauri, intertwining their Sicilian heritage with global inspiration. Originating from Via Ciauri, Ciauri Street, in the coastal town of Santa Flavia, the brand's essence lies in celebrating diverse cultures, communities, and locations through limited production handmade garments and accessories. Each collection reflects meticulous research, involving collaboration with local artisans and communities to preserve cultural traditions. The brand is rooted in their family’s belief in love, kindness, and generosity, Via Ciauri’s vision is to foster a global community united by craftsmanship, empathy, and cultural appreciation, redefining luxury as a force for positive change.
Via Ciauri, photo courtesy of Chris Yates
Sabrina shared with us that the Jimmy Choo Academy has been rewarded and allowed for her to build the brand in an innovative and thought-provoking setting. “The mentors have opened doors to a strong network of fashion professionals in London and the feedback received has been invaluable along the way as the brand continues down its journey preserving Sicilian artisanal craftsmanship. Coming from a background in business and politics, with tailoring experience, I was grateful to gain further knowledge about the formal design process and collection curation. Via Ciauri’s SS25 pushed me to expand my skills in design, construction, pattern cutting and sewing, skills which are crucial for bringing our vision to life.”
Sabrina and her sister wanted to honour their Sicilian heritage and preserve the traditional sicilian craftsmanship. “Our father’s family originated in Santa Flavia, near Palermo, where there’s a street named Via Ciauri. Up on the hillside of this town an 8th century BC archeological site, Via Ciauri can also be found dating back to Phoenician times in the ‘district of the craftsmen’. Our historical connection to this part of Sicily serves as the inspiration for our work, particularly in honoring and preserving traditional Sicilian artisan techniques such as Tombolo lace-making. Sicily’s rich culture, vibrant and multicultural history, and resilient traditions form a strong backdrop for our brand, enabling us to intertwine our heritage with contemporary fashion and storytelling.”
The sisters’ family history influences their collections by bridging the local and the global. They celebrate Sicilian techniques, such as Tombolo lace-making, while reinterpreting them for a wider audience through innovative designs. “We are in the process of working with artisans from around the world, not just within Sicily, creating pieces that reflect not only our heritage but also shared cultural influences and the heritage of others.”
Sabrina finds working with her sister Mia to be rewarding and inspiring. They compliment each other’s strengths, and this journey has allowed them to grow together while immersing themselves in the culture and craftsmanship of Sicily. “. From spending months learning from artisans to teaching workshops together, our partnership is grounded in our shared passion for preserving and re-imagining traditional crafts. It’s a beautiful experience to work closely, exchange ideas, and watch our vision for Via Ciauri unfold together. Our aim is not only to keep ancient techniques alive but also to evolve them, making them relevant in the modern fashion context. We envision a future where our brand stands for sustainable, culturally rich, and innovative luxury, while also fostering meaningful cultural exchanges and experiences.”
The Jimmy Choo Academy has recently opened a retail gallery for the month of November in London to allow designers to sell their pieces.The gallery is the first-ever pop-up store anchored at Berkeley St James Group’s newest complex in West London, White City Living, and showcases the collections of its rising talents.
Choi tells us that the students in the Gallery were hand-selected through a crucial process. “It’s so exciting that they are able to engage with the press, public, potential investors, buyers, and customers gaining hands-on experience in the fashion industry. They really are getting such a unique opportunity to be able to sell your product in-store and online while still studying. We’re hoping we can continue to do this type of activation to expose them to the industry quicker than a traditional fashion program would in the coming years. I personally had to save up my money for 10 years before I was able to open a store and sell to customers that way so I feel quite passionate about giving them a leg up early on. The gallery is open for 3 weeks, but the e-commerce website will be the first stockist of their work.”
Kaci Horseman is one of the few selected. She shares that having her designs for sale is an incredible opportunity. “It’s exciting to showcase my work in such a creative space where it can reach a broader audience.”
Items on sale in the gallery are also part of the e-commerce website and can be found here: https://www.jcagallery.co.uk/