Tamara Mellon
Encyclopedia
Tamara Mellon, OBE
is the Chief Creative Office and co-founder of Jimmy Choo
, a luxury brand that offers designer shoes, handbags and a range of accessories .
model. She was educated in Berkshire
at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Beverly Hills and in Switzerland
.
, and followed as accessories editor for British Vogue
in 1990.
Recognizing the potential for development of high-end designer accessories, Mellon approached bespoke shoe-maker Mr Jimmy Choo with the idea of launching a ready-to-wear shoe company.
As co-founder of the Jimmy Choo Company
, Tamara secured funding from her father, for the creation of her business, and sourced factories in Italy
. In addition, she set up an office in Italy
to handle production, quality control and shipping. By 2001, Jimmy Choo
had over 100 wholesale clients including Harrods
, Harvey Nichols
, Saks Fifth Avenue
and Bergdorf Goodman
, and the collections accounted for over 50% of the production of several of these factories.
The Motcombe Street store was followed by stores in New York, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills. In April 2001, Jimmy Choo partnered with Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. Acquiring Mr Choo’s share of the ready to wear business, Equinox’s Chief Executive Robert Bensoussan became CEO of Jimmy Choo
, introducing handbag and small leather goods collections. In November 2004, with the company valued at £101 million, Hicks Muse announced the majority acquisition of Jimmy Choo
.
Jimmy Choo
now has a total of 39 stores, including London (Sloane Street
& New Bond Street), New York
, Beverly Hills, Washington D.C., Boston
, Dallas, Moscow
, Milan
and Hong Kong
and is distributed by select stores worldwide. In 2007, Mellon made another appearance on the Sunday Times Rich List
, where she is ranked as the 751st richest person in the UK, with an estimated wealth of £99 million. She is also ranked as the 64th richest woman in Britain.
Mellon was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
on policies related to the needs of business. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/parties-clash-in-corporate-credentials-battle
On the 9th November 2010 she was named as a 'global trade envoy for Britain' by the British Government. She will have a "roving brief to promote the country’s booming fashion industry overseas".
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is the Chief Creative Office and co-founder of Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Ltd
Jimmy Choo is a British high fashion house specializing in luxury shoes, designer bags, and accessories. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo OBE and Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon OBE. In April 2001 Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. bought out...
, a luxury brand that offers designer shoes, handbags and a range of accessories .
Early life
Mellon was born in London, on 7 July 1967, the daughter of Tom Yeardye, a successful entrepreneur and Ann (Davis) Yeardye, a former ChanelChanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
model. She was educated in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Beverly Hills and in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Career
Mellon began her career at Phyllis Walters Public Relations, MirabellaMirabella
Mirabella was a women's magazine published from 1989 to 2000. It was created by and named for Grace Mirabella, a former Vogue editor in chief....
, and followed as accessories editor for British Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
in 1990.
Recognizing the potential for development of high-end designer accessories, Mellon approached bespoke shoe-maker Mr Jimmy Choo with the idea of launching a ready-to-wear shoe company.
As co-founder of the Jimmy Choo Company
Jimmy Choo Ltd
Jimmy Choo is a British high fashion house specializing in luxury shoes, designer bags, and accessories. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo OBE and Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon OBE. In April 2001 Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. bought out...
, Tamara secured funding from her father, for the creation of her business, and sourced factories in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In addition, she set up an office in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to handle production, quality control and shipping. By 2001, Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Ltd
Jimmy Choo is a British high fashion house specializing in luxury shoes, designer bags, and accessories. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo OBE and Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon OBE. In April 2001 Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. bought out...
had over 100 wholesale clients including Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
, Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols, founded in 1813, is an upmarket department store chain. Its original store is in London. Founded in 1813 as a linen shop, it sells many international brands of clothing for women and men, fashion accessories, beauty products, wine and food...
, Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
and Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury goods department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son Andrew Goodman....
, and the collections accounted for over 50% of the production of several of these factories.
The Motcombe Street store was followed by stores in New York, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills. In April 2001, Jimmy Choo partnered with Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. Acquiring Mr Choo’s share of the ready to wear business, Equinox’s Chief Executive Robert Bensoussan became CEO of Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Ltd
Jimmy Choo is a British high fashion house specializing in luxury shoes, designer bags, and accessories. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo OBE and Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon OBE. In April 2001 Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. bought out...
, introducing handbag and small leather goods collections. In November 2004, with the company valued at £101 million, Hicks Muse announced the majority acquisition of Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Ltd
Jimmy Choo is a British high fashion house specializing in luxury shoes, designer bags, and accessories. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo OBE and Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon OBE. In April 2001 Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. bought out...
.
Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo Ltd
Jimmy Choo is a British high fashion house specializing in luxury shoes, designer bags, and accessories. The company, J. Choo Limited, was founded in 1996 by couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo OBE and Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon OBE. In April 2001 Equinox Luxury Holdings Ltd. bought out...
now has a total of 39 stores, including London (Sloane Street
Sloane Street
Sloane Street is a major London street which runs north to south, from Knightsbridge to Sloane Square, crossing Pont Street about half way along, entirely in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Sloane Street takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane, who purchased the surrounding area in 1712...
& New Bond Street), New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Beverly Hills, Washington D.C., Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Dallas, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and is distributed by select stores worldwide. In 2007, Mellon made another appearance on the Sunday Times Rich List
Sunday Times Rich List 2007
The Sunday Times Rich List 2007 was published on 29 April 2007. The online edition was published on 30 April 2007.Since 1989 the UK national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times has published an annual magazine supplement to the newspaper called the Sunday Times Rich List...
, where she is ranked as the 751st richest person in the UK, with an estimated wealth of £99 million. She is also ranked as the 64th richest woman in Britain.
Mellon was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.
Public and Political Activities
Mellon is a member of the New Enterprise Council, a group of entrepreneurs who advise the Conservative Party (UK)Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
on policies related to the needs of business. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/parties-clash-in-corporate-credentials-battle
On the 9th November 2010 she was named as a 'global trade envoy for Britain' by the British Government. She will have a "roving brief to promote the country’s booming fashion industry overseas".
External links
- Freeman, Hadley. "The Guardian profile: Tamara Mellon", The Guardian, 5 November 2004
- BBC news
- How Jimmy Choo 'lost' his name http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/1/14/lifefocus/16336719&sec=lifefocus
- Sandra's choice http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/1/14/lifefocus/20070113194748&sec=lifefocus