Milan Fashion Week: Jimmy Choo SS12
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
For the first spring and summer collection of its relaunched men’s footwear business, Jimmy Choo has added a dash of vibrant spring color and expanded its casual classifications, adding driving moccasins, sandals and even an uber-luxe skate-inspired slip-on.
The label’s tasseled take on the driving moccasin -- most eye-catching in Yves Klein blue or yellow suede, switches out the traditional pebbled sole for a debossed crocodile-skin pattern and elongates the silhouette for a more elegant look.
The Choo boat shoe pairs a white sole with a denim-like canvas upper with mock crocodile trim, and the new range of strappy leather sandals has cuoio (natural leather) footbeds on top of rubber soles and kicks things up a notch with pewter-stud details.
Also new is the label’s luxury version of the slip-on sneaker -- inspired by the venerable skate shoe, most memorable of which are a busy floral pattern and a Union Jack design (which also appears on a version of the formal slipper this season).
The Bond-inspired ‘porno paisley’ velvet jacquard introduced last season is not only back again -- in new pink and turquoise colorways -- but the burlesque beauty hidden in that design expands her role, appearing on the pewter ‘penny’ tucked into the brand’s new penny-loafer silhouette. (At this rate, she’s well on her way to becoming a high-end version of the ‘mud flap’ girl.)
When I saw the debut fall and winter 2011 collection in Milan last season -- the one that hits stores in July -- the retail distribution hadn’t been determined, but I’m told it includes Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
Most styles will retail from $597 to $795, with the skate shoe and the driving moccasins coming in slightly lower, at $495, and some higher -- like the blue crocodile formal slippers, which will cost a cool $18,000.
RELATED:
Choo offers Natalie Portman’s Oscar shoe
Choo men’s debut is part James Bond, part Austin Powers
-- Adam Tschorn, reporting from Milan