The JCA | London Fashion Academy in Mayfair, London, will cost students US$25,000 (RM100,000) a year for the privilege of having Professor Jimmy Choo, 72, teach 100 students as a hands-on guide.
Choo, who plans to help nurture students into emerging professional designers through a mentored approach, said he had noticed many designers ‘do not know about business’.
He added, “My vision for the academy is to teach them my knowledge for design, but also to have a business mind as well.”
He said he had learned his business skills ‘slowly’ over ‘years and years’, adding: “The Chinese always say, “When you drink water, think about where the water came from”.”
Choo explained to The Times, “I want to see what they’re doing, to talk to them, to make sure they come to the academy to study, not because they want to be famous.”
The fashion designer, who calls London his home, revealed the idea of him launching a school came from his children, adding that he had been working on the plans for several years.
The project has kept him busy as he waits out lockdown in his second home in Kuala Lumpur, while his wife and family are living in London during the Covid-19 crisis.
The academy’s doors will open this September, becoming the UK’s newest university exclusively dedicated to fashion.
“Rarely, though, do these designers leave higher education armed with the combined knowledge, skills and resources needed to create, launch and build brands successfully on the global stage,” he said.
He hopes the academy “will help bridge those gaps and truly nurture internationally-focused and highly entrepreneurial design talent.”
The pupils will be provided with a level of access to internationally recognised design leaders unrivalled by traditional colleges and universities.
Courses include fashion design and entrepreneurship at three levels – foundation diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate, with Choo guiding students as a mentor.
The Academy’s courses combine the latest teachings in contemporary design with the entrepreneurial skills required to set-up and drive successful fashion brands of the future.
Jimmy Choo’s brand, founded in 1996 by Tamara Mellon and Choo in London’s East End, is beloved by celebrities and royals alike, with the Duchess of Sussex and Duchess of Cambridge regularly stepping out in shoes by the designer.
The JCA | London Fashion Academy has curated a syllabus inspired by Professor Jimmy Choo’s experiences in building his own luxury super-brand as well as the multi-faceted skill sets which fashion designers increasingly need in today’s ultra-competitive multi-channel global landscape.