Jimmy Choo Just Brought Back Carrie Bradshaw’s Favourite Shoes In A Special New Collection

‘i lost my choo!’ Four words, one simple line, but an iconic catchphrase that catapulted Jimmy Choo from a glamorous shoe brand into a cult label. Uttered by Carrie Bradshaw, while running for the Staten 
Island ferry (spoiler: she missed the boat), Jimmy Choo remains synonymous with Sex And The City even now.  ‘Sex And The City was all about four girls living it up in the city, falling in love, finding love – with a massive dose of fashion,’ says creative director Sandra Choi.

Bradshaw’s now-iconic violet velvet, feather-trimmed strappy sandal – the 72138 – is just one of the eight styles from the luxury shoe label’s first five years to be reissued by the brand as part of its new 
collection, The Archive 1997-2001. ‘We looked at three decades of work and dialled back to the first five years. Why? Because those years truly represent the heart and soul of Jimmy Choo – they’re our roots, where it all began. And in looking at these styles, I saw ideas that are still essential to Jimmy Choo today – eternal values of glamour, of femininity, combined with make and craft,’ says Choi.

The new collection – available globally now – heroes the style signifiers that have shaped the Jimmy Choo shoe-verse across the past three decades, from animal print to a humorous design detail (see the corsage thong toe detail, reissued from a 2001 best-seller) to the perfect ‘taxi shoe’. ‘I wanted the strap to be as thin as possible – not spaghetti, but spaghettini.’

When shifting through the vast archive, Choi called on two fashion experts for their takes on what makes Jimmy Choo Jimmy Choo. Enter journalist and historian Alex Fury and fashion designer and frequent JC collaborator Connor Ives. ‘I think a surprising element [of the collaboration] was the sheer breadth of the collections – they were super-expansive, right from the very start, and full of so many ideas, which Jimmy Choo has never really revisited before,’ says Fury. ‘I think people often think the brand was just about high heels, just about a very specific type of glamour – which is a reason we wanted to include the Slide style from 1999, which just feels so modern and right. There’s a timelessness to all these pieces – they felt right then, they feel right now, they’ll feel right tomorrow. That was really exciting.’

The pistachio square-toe backless loafer certainly doesn’t feel 26 years old – in fact, it could easily be designed now and worn by any number of today’s minimalist-living, quiet luxury influencers. ‘Think Christy Turlington at the airport,’ says Choi. For Ives, who grew up raiding his mum’s wardrobe, Jimmy Choo remains the go-to for a perennial party shoe. ‘It’s sexy, flirty, and fun,’ he says, when asked to describe the brand. ‘From Princess Diana being an early client and supporter, all the way up to 
Carrie in Sex And The City, I couldn’t think of a more immaculate trajectory. Which brings us to today and the Chloë Sevigny of it all, it’s always been donned by the coolest girls.’ Fury agrees. ‘There are such good vibes around Jimmy Choo – they’re shoes that lift your spirits. And that’s an incredible legacy and identity to have – it’s also that idea of glamour as being not so much about how you look, but how you feel; about confidence and positivity.’

For Choi, leaning into its organic megawatt appeal has been crucial to the brand’s success. ‘We had SATC, then the Spice Girls, then Ab Fab and Friends. It’s pure girl power.’ Coupling great design while recognising the importance of pop culture, Jimmy Choo was the first brand to dress celebrities on the red carpet. ‘Deep down there’s always an entrepreneurial spirit,’ she says. ‘Some of those original stylists are still friends. That red carpet circuit helped make Jimmy Choo.’

As for your own shoedrobe? Those heading to Ibiza this summer might be persuaded to add the Thong to their carry-on: a high-heeled thong sandal with silvered chain mail (‘the inspiration came from those 
famous handkerchief tops. The heel height is 85cm – which is reasonable,’ says Choi). The mid-calf boot, remade in python-print leather, feels perfect for summer nights transitioning from office to bar, while the dotty Bow, a style from 2000, ties up the foot in a ladylike court-style shoe. Reimagined in mustard and black, it’s prim – with plenty of sass. ‘It’s been great to step back and acknowledge just how rich the brand’s heritage is. Thirty years is a long time and, for me, it’s not a new chapter; it’s one volume of the book. The material science is different, the way that we live and wear is different. At the very least, what we continue to do is make someone happy,’ says Choi.

Shop: Jimmy Choo's The Archive Collection

Jane McFarland is Grazia’s associate editor, overseeing fashion, beauty and luxury content. A fashion journalist for over ten years and previously The Sunday Times Style’s Wardrobe Mistress, Jane loves dissecting trends, discovering new brands and writing about personal style. Follow Jane on Instagram here @Jane_McFarland.

Hannah Banks-Walker is Grazia's head of fashion commerce. She has previously written for the likes of Harper's Bazaar, The Financial Times, Glamour, Stylist, The Telegraph, Red, i-D and The Pool on everything from fashion to curly hair (hi!) to the patriarchy. Not necessarily in that order. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. But please don't look for her MySpace profile, which until now was the last time she wrote about herself in the third person.