Jimmy Choo, Explained: The Romy, Bing and Azia, the Bon Bon Bag, and How the Shoes Fit

Jimmy Choo is the London accessories house that the shoemaker Jimmy Choo and Tamara Mellon, a former Vogue accessories editor, founded in 1996, and whose collections Sandra Choi has overseen from the first day. Its shoes are made in Italy, sized in Italian sizes and, on most of the house's own product pages, marked true to size. If you buy one pair, make it the Romy 85 in black suede, the plain pointed pump the house calls a signature; choose the Love instead if your heels lift out of pumps, because its vamp is cut higher. For parties, the Bing mule with its crystal strap; for a wedding, the Saeda, with a crystal chain at the ankle; for a bag, the Bon Bon. Below: each icon, the boots and bags, sizing, and what is worth the money.

Jimmy Choo's history: from an East London studio to a 30-year-old house

The house sets out its story in a timeline on its site; we read the version published in September 2026. In the 1980s Jimmy Choo, now Professor Jimmy Choo OBE, set up a studio in East London making bespoke shoes by hand. In 1996 he co-founded J. Choo Limited with Tamara Yeardye, now Mellon, who had been Vogue's accessories editor, and his niece by marriage, Sandra Choi, joined as a founding director in charge of design. The first boutique opened on Motcomb Street in London; by 1998 there were stores on Madison Avenue and Rodeo Drive.

The timeline credits HBO's Sex and the City with making the name a household one, and says the house pioneered red-carpet dressing at the Academy Awards. Mr. Choo left in November 2001. Bags followed in 2003, eyewear in 2007, and a men's line and a first fragrance in 2011, the year Mellon left.

On November 1, 2017, Michael Kors Holdings completed its purchase of Jimmy Choo PLC, a deal it valued at about $1.35 billion, and on December 31, 2018 it renamed itself Capri Holdings. Capri sold Versace to Prada in December 2025, which leaves it with two houses, Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, and its annual report for the year to March 28, 2026 names Choi as creative director.

The house bought its first factory in Florence in 2019 and a second in 2024. Choi was appointed OBE in the King's Birthday Honours in June 2026, and on November 30 the British Fashion Council will give her a Special Recognition Award at The Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall.

The Jimmy Choo icons, and what each one is for

Heel heights are in the style name, in millimeters: a Romy 85 has an 85 mm heel. Inch figures are the house's own.

Jimmy Choo heels: the Romy or the Love?

Both are pointed stilettos; the difference is where the leather stops. The house describes the Romy as its classic pointy-toe pump, updated with a softer point and a new stiletto heel, and its vamp sits low enough to show the top of the foot, which lengthens the leg. The Love, in the house's words an evolution of the classic pointed pump, has a more dramatic point and is "cut higher on the foot, allowing for more coverage." That higher edge grips the instep, so we steer anyone whose heels lift out of pumps, or who dislikes showing the start of their toes, toward the Love.

Start with suede: it is matte, forgives small scuffs and softens a sharp toe. Patent and calf wipe clean after a wet night. If you stand at work all day, the Love 65 gives the same line at 2.6 inches.

• Weekday: the black suede Romy 85 with charcoal wool trousers that graze the top of the foot and a white poplin shirt.
• Color without risk: the deep merlot suede Romy with a gray flannel skirt suit and sheer black tights.
• Holiday party: the champagne glitter Romy with a black velvet slip dress and nothing else that sparkles.

Compare other houses' designer pumps.

The Jimmy Choo Bing: the party shoe with the crystal strap

The Bing is a pointed, backless mule with a single strap of crystals arcing across the foot, on a 65 mm or 100 mm (3.9 in) stiletto, in patent, velvet or black Jimmy Choo lace. Archived copies of the house's US site show the ballet-pink patent Bing 100 on sale by July 2019. The strap is jewelry, but it also does a heel counter's job, holding the foot down so the shoe stays on as you walk. It is also the limit: with nothing behind the heel, stairs and dance floors ask more of the foot, and a backless shoe can slide on sheer tights. Our rule is the Bing 65 for a standing party and the 100 for a seated dinner.

Two more house shoes belong here. The Saeda pump, which the house says blurs "the lines between shoes and jewellery," hangs a fine crystal chain low on the ankle with a single crystal at the back, and in black suede it is marked small (see sizing below). The Love 85 in gray and black herringbone, scattered with black crystals, is the party pump that also works with tweed. For more on backless shoes, see the best designer mules.

• Black tie, the easy way: the black patent Bing 100 with black tuxedo trousers long enough to cover half the heel, and a white silk shirt.
• One red thing: the ruby velvet Bing with a black satin slip dress.
• Holiday lunch: the ballet-pink Bing 65 with a pale gray knit dress.

The Jimmy Choo Azia and the evening sandals

The Azia is the house's evening sandal: two curved straps winding up the foot from a squared toe to an ankle buckle, on a 75, 95 or 110 mm heel. The house calls it an evolution of its older Lance sandal, its double strap "inspired by a kiss"; its listings mention a lightly cushioned insole, elastic on the inside of each strap and a sole shaped and finished over about three days. The square toe matters more than it looks: it leaves the toes room, and the double straps hold the foot without one thin strap biting across it.

Buy the 95 first; the 75 is for a long reception on your feet, the 110 for photographs. The Anise, from the Azia family, is the mule version, with slender curved straps and no buckle: easier on, less secure on a dance floor. The Heloise 120 sets knotted straps on a block-heeled platform, which makes 120 mm feel less steep than it reads. On tights with sandals, see our guide to the best party shoes, or browse heeled sandals.

• Black tie: the silver Azia 95 with a navy satin column gown.
• Trouser evening: the black patent Azia with floor-length black crepe trousers, so only the toe and straps show.
• New Year's Eve: the deep merlot Azia with a pale gray silk slip dress; our New Year's Eve outfits cover the rest.

Jimmy Choo bridal shoes: the Saeda, the Sacora and the icons in ivory

The house's bridal shoe edit pairs pearl and crystal with ivory satin, leather and tulle, adds kitten heels and its sculpted drop heel, and offers a Made-to-Order service for personal details.

Two styles do most of the work. The Saeda puts its crystal anklet on an ivory pump: at 100 mm in lace and satin with a scalloped edge, or at a gentler 85 mm in satin. The Sacora is a vintage-inspired sandal with a V-shaped peep toe, an ankle strap and a large pearl on the toe, covered all over in pearls at 100 mm and in ivory floral lace at 85. The rest are icons in bridal dress: the Love 100 and Azia 95 in crystal-covered ivory satin, and the Love slingback in white mesh with crystals that thin toward the heel.

Choose by the hours, not the photographs. For a ceremony, dinner and dancing, the strap of the Love slingback or the Saeda sandal on its 85 mm block heel will outlast a 100 mm pump, and the block is far less likely to sink into a lawn. Satin marks in rain and does not polish back, so bring a second pair to a garden wedding. Take the shoes to every fitting, since the hem is set to the heel, and keep a flat for the end of the night, such as the crystal-mesh Love Flat below. Dressing as a guest? See what to wear to a winter wedding.

• Long train: the ivory lace Saeda 100 under a lace column, the anklet just showing at the hem.
• Tea-length: the all-over pearl Sacora 100 with a satin dress that stops at mid-calf.
• City hall: the crystal-mesh Love slingback with an ivory crepe trouser suit.

Jimmy Choo boots: knee-high, over-the-knee and the Biker

The boots are less famous than the evening shoes and more useful. The Alizze is an equestrian knee boot with a pointed toe, a slim 85 mm heel and a strap at the back. The Caly comes as a knee boot on a 65 mm block and as an over-the-knee boot with a V-shaped stitch at the back, so it bends when you sit and, the house says, can be scrunched down to the knee. The Amis, inspired by 1990s dressing, has folded side seams and a 35 mm kitten heel, the lowest knee boot here; the Blake hides an 85 mm wedge in a straight profile that is steadier than a stiletto on cobbles.

The Biker Mid comes from the archive: its listing calls it an archival style first shown in Autumn/Winter 2008, now with logo-engraved buckles and a treaded sole. The Eliot is a 45 mm block-heel ankle boot with a padded footbed and a side zip; the Scarlett 95 laces up the front through leather threaded by hand. Several styles also come in chocolate and cigar; Vêtir's stylists wear those browns with cream, ecru, gray flannel or olive rather than with black, navy or denim.

• Office: the black Alizze over sheer black tights, with a gray flannel midi skirt and a black turtleneck.
• Weekend: the black Biker Mid with ecru straight jeans and a black leather jacket.
• Softer: the merlot suede Amis with a charcoal tweed skirt and a cream cashmere sweater.

More pairs: the best knee-high boots, or browse knee-high boots.

Are Jimmy Choo heels comfortable? The low heels, slingbacks and flats

More than their reputation suggests, within the limits of a stiletto. Several listings say the footbed of every Jimmy Choo shoe is padded; newer styles such as the Amel add a rubber section in the sole so it flexes, and the Love's listings describe a hand-sculpted sole. None of that turns a 100 mm pointed pump into a walking shoe. The comfortable Jimmy Choo has a strap behind the heel and a heel of 65 mm or lower.

The Amel 50 is the best example: an adjustable slingback with a squared pointed toe and a squared topline that covers more of the foot, on the house's sculpted drop heel. The Amita 45, in black lace, runs an elasticated pearl strap across a deep V; the Eyla 45 puts a high-cut, round-toed slingback on a block heel, the steadiest of the group; and the Scarlett 50 laces its vamp by hand. For flat days there is the crystal-mesh Love Flat and the Diamond Flex trainer, whose sole mixes in light natural rubber and whose back folds down for wearing as a slip-on.

• Ten-hour day: the black Amel 50 with cropped black trousers and a white shirt.
• Navy and black: the black Eyla 45 with a navy knit dress and black opaque tights.
• Off duty: the black Diamond Flex with gray wool trousers and a charcoal coat.

Care decides how long they last: brush suede in one direction, store crystal pairs in separate dust bags, and have a cobbler replace heel tips before the metal pin shows.

Jimmy Choo bags: the Bon Bon and the evening clutches

The Bon Bon is the bag the house calls an icon: a small bucket bag closed by a drawstring and carried on a rigid bracelet handle, with a chain strap for the shoulder. The house says it is inspired by contrasts, "hard yet soft, sweet yet bold." Know the size first. On the house's own listings, as archived in 2025, the Bon Bon is 14 cm across, 15 cm high and 9.5 cm deep (about 5.5 by 5.9 by 3.7 inches), and the Micro Bon Bon 11.5 cm across, 12 cm high and 7 cm deep (about 4.5 by 4.7 by 2.8 inches). That carries a card case, a lipstick and keys; measure your phone against it.

The plain metallic and satin Bon Bons are the way in; keep the embroidered and crystal versions for a second Bon Bon, once you know how often you reach for the first. A silver or champagne metallic, which goes with black, navy, burgundy and ivory, is the most useful first Bon Bon, and the ivory satin with a crystal handle doubles as a bridal bag. Two clutches complete the edit: the Cloud, a minaudière in ivory mother of pearl with a pearl-and-crystal ball clasp, and the Zandra, soft black metallic leather wrapped in a crystal chandelier bracelet. Compare shapes in the best evening bags, or browse clutch bags.

• Holiday dinner: the ivory satin Bon Bon with a black velvet column dress.
• Cocktails: the silver Bon Bon with a navy sequined dress.

Jimmy Choo day bags: the Cinch, the Diamond tote and the Bar hobo

For every day there is the Cinch, which the house calls an evolution in the Bon Bon family: a slouchy shape pulled closed by a faceted drawstring, with detachable shoulder straps. The house's listing for the Medium, archived in September 2025, gives it as 35 cm across, 16 cm high and 13 cm deep (about 13.8 by 6.3 by 5.1 inches), room for a wallet, a phone and a pouch; the Small adds a crossbody strap. The Diamond tote is built from stitched panels of soft leather. The Bar hobo is named for its closure, a gold bar wrapped in leather. The quilted cream Curve top handle, with a pearl chain, is the dressiest. Black leather is the Cinch to keep; the glossy dark croc-embossed one and the navy suede are seasonal, and suede spots in rain.

• Office: the black medium Diamond tote with black tailoring and the Amel 50.
• Weekend: the navy suede Cinch with gray flannel trousers and a white shirt.

Jimmy Choo sizing: how the shoes fit

Jimmy Choo uses Italian sizes. On the size chart in the house's US product pages (as archived in February 2026), an Italian 37 is a US 7 and a UK 4: subtract 30 for US.

The fit note on each listing matters more than the chart. On the house's US pages for the Romy 85, the Love 85 and 100, the Bing 65 and 100, the Azia 95, the Amel 50, the Sacora 85 and the Biker Mid, as archived between January 2025 and May 2026, it reads "Italian sizing. Fits true to size." The note can change with the material, not only the style: the Saeda 100 is marked true to size in emerald and gold satin but small in black suede, and the Bing 100 is marked small in ivory satin, with the advice in both cases to take half a size larger. Notes change, so read the one on your pair before you order. A pointed toe adds length in front of the toes, not inside the shoe, so do not size down for a Romy or Love; if your feet are wide, the Azia's square toe and the Eyla's round toe leave more room.

Is Jimmy Choo worth it? What to buy once, and what to skip

For a plain pump, the money buys Italian manufacture, largely around Florence where the house owns two factories, and on the Romy a leather lining and a leather sole. Manolo Blahnik's BB is the closest alternative to a Romy (our Manolo Blahnik guide covers how it fits); Gianvito Rossi's Gianvito 105 stands higher and sharper; Christian Louboutin's pumps carry the red-lacquered sole. For crystal evening sandals, set the Azia and the Saeda beside Aquazzura's and René Caovilla's. Within Jimmy Choo the value is at the plain end: a suede, calf or patent Romy or Love is the pair you will wear most; crystal and pearl are for a few evenings a year.

Buy once and keep: the black suede Romy 85, a Love in black calf or patent, the black patent Bing 100, a metallic Azia 95, the Biker Mid and a metallic or black Bon Bon. None depends on a trend, and the Biker was first shown in 2008.

One-season pleasures: glitter, crystal-scattered herringbone, croc-embossing and pearl embroidery. Buy them for love, not as investments.

Skip: a 100 mm pointed pump if you will stand all evening, ivory satin unless it is for a wedding, and a mule if you plan to dance. Not sure which pair your wardrobe needs? Ask our AI stylist to build outfits around one.

How we chose

Every piece here is new, at full price and from Jimmy Choo's own store on Vêtir. We looked at every photograph, because the names and color tags run loose: several Bing mules are filed as pumps. For each icon we picked the heights and materials that change how it wears, from the 65 mm Love to the 110 mm Azia, and every shoe we chose listed at least ten sizes. Heel heights, materials, fit notes, measurements and the history come from the house's own pages, dated where we read an archived copy; the inch conversions for bags are ours.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Jimmy Choo?

As of October 2026, Capri Holdings, the New York-listed group that also owns Michael Kors. Under its former name, Michael Kors Holdings, it completed the purchase on November 1, 2017.

Who designs Jimmy Choo?

Sandra Choi, the creative director, who has overseen the collections since the house was founded in 1996. Jimmy Choo himself left the business in 2001.

Do Jimmy Choo shoes run small?

Mostly not. They come in Italian sizes (subtract 30 for US, so a 38 is a US 8), and most styles we checked on the house's US pages are marked true to size. A few versions, such as the black suede Saeda 100, are marked small, with the advice to go up half a size.

What is the most famous Jimmy Choo shoe?

There is no official answer. The Romy is the plain pointed pump the house calls a signature; it uses the same word for the Love pump, the Bing mule and the Azia sandal, and calls the Bon Bon bag a house icon.

Where are Jimmy Choo shoes made?

In Italy. The collections are designed in London and largely made around Florence, where the house owns two factories.

Keep reading

• The best party shoes for the holidays
• Manolo Blahnik: the Hangisi, BB, Maysale and Carolyne
• The best knee-high boots, by heel and shaft
• The best evening bags
• What to wear to a winter wedding