As Jimmy Choo tiptoes towards its 30th anniversary, the iconic brand is doing what it does best: making headlines and stilettos. Enter The Archive, a curated collection revisiting the house’s early years from 1997 to 2001, when shoes weren’t just shoes but declarations of intent. The Jimmy Choo Archive – The Best Jimmy Choo From 1997 To 2001 Revisited – isn’t just a mouthful of a title; it’s a glittering gateway into the golden era of red-carpet dreams, Y2K fashion fever, and unapologetic femininity.
Let’s be honest, if you didn’t lose a Choo in the early 2000s, were you even living?
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo’s Creative Director and part of the brand’s DNA since its inception, went rummaging through the archives. But this was no dusty storage unit dive. It was a love letter to the roots of a brand that has been dressing the feet of pop culture royalty, literally and metaphorically, since day one.
Sandra Choi, Courtesy @JimmyChoo
She and her team unearthed eight timeless styles, the “neo-classics,” which are now back in the spotlight. Think of them as the OGs of Choo: before the logomania, before TikTok, before quiet luxury, these were the shoes that defined a new kind of glamour; sexy but intelligent, feminine but fearless.
Each style from the archive is not just a reissue — it’s a re-statement.
Carrie Bradshaw Would Approve
@HBO
You can’t talk about Jimmy Choo without mentioning the shoe that brought fashion to the small screen: the notorious 72138, reissued for the first time. You know the one: soft lilac suede, whimsical feathers, and that iconic cry from Carrie Bradshaw, “I lost my Choo!” That moment wasn’t just peak Sex and the City, it was the moment Jimmy Choo went from insiders-only to worldwide obsession.
And while we’re name-dropping, let’s not forget that this is the brand Princess Diana wore, and that shaped the shoe game for almost every It-girl since. If your wardrobe is missing any of these pieces, consider this a stylish wake-up call.
What’s in The Archive?
Each reissued style is more than a shoe, it’s a slice of fashion history:
- THE STRAPPY: From the very first collection in 1997. Delicate criss-crossing straps with serious leg-lengthening magic.
- THE LEO: Leopard-print dreams first seen in 1998, immortalised by, yes, Carrie again.
- THE BOW: Snake-embossed leather and asymmetrical chic. Maximalism with a wink.
- THE SLIDE: A flat mule from 1999, relaxed but ready to party. Proof that comfort and glamour can co-exist.
- THE BOOT: Dynamic, sexy, and powerful. Python-print and ready to stomp.
- THE THONG: Silver chain-mail, Y2K-inspired, and still dangerously cool.
- THE 72138: Icon status confirmed. Feathered and fabulous.
- THE ARCHETYPE: Names like The Slide and The Strappy hint at what Jimmy Choo was doing long before normcore or quiet luxury: making statements without shouting.
These aren’t just throwbacks. They are still as relevant on today’s streets (or catwalks or cocktail parties) as they were in the days of Nokia flip phones and low-rise jeans. Why? Because good design never dates.
Why Now?
Because nostalgia is trending, darling. And not just any nostalgia, but polished, curated, relevant nostalgia. Jimmy Choo isn’t just cashing in on the Y2K revival. It’s owning the narrative.
In a world that often forgets the power of a single, well-designed accessory, The Archive reminds us of a time when shoes could make-or-break a moment. When they had stories, not just styles. And it’s this storytelling, personal, glamorous, bold that makes the Jimmy Choo Archive collection so vital today.
Past, Present and Always Fabulous
This reissue project is not just a greatest hits album. It’s a mission statement. According to Sandra Choi, “This collection is about where we’ve come from, what we stand for, and where we continue to go.” And frankly, if the future of footwear looks like this, count us in.
So whether you’re rediscovering Jimmy Choo’s early magic or meeting these icons for the first time, one thing is clear: The Archive – The Best Jimmy Choo From 1997 To 2001 Revisited is proof that fashion is cyclical, but style is eternal.