Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/332267
Sandra Choi (LEFT) has put her stamp on everything Jimmy Choo, from women's stilettos to men's brogues to a Vegas-exclusive handbag ($995, BELOW). PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELISSA VALLADARES (CHOI, SHOES) T o say Sandra Choi is obsessed with shoes is a wild understatement. She fizzes with excite- ment when point ing out t he st a r - shaped punch holes in a men's brogue. Her speech quick- ens when she talks about a crystal-covered oxblood heel. And it's not enough for her to simply describe a pa ir of bugle -beaded T-ba r sa nda ls f rom her upcoming collection; she's compelled to pull out a pen and paper and start sketching them. Not that this should be surprising. After all, as the niece and protégé of legendary bespoke footwear designer Jimmy Choo—and his namesake brand's lead designer for nearly two decades— Choi's got soles and stilettos coursing through her veins. But it's safe to say her infatuation with foot wear has intensified since early 2013, when she was named sole creative director of the London-based company. "I'm excited about everything," says Choi. "[When] I took control over the whole thing after 17 years of watching it all happen, there's part of me that felt like 'Oh my God, finally! What do I do now?' It was daunting, but I think I'm finding my feet." Choi's first order of business: Give Jimmy Choo's stores an extreme makeover. In Vegas she's start- ing with the Forum Shops location, whose redesign will be unveiled this September—with the Shops at Crystals and Grand Canal Shoppes revamps to follow. She likens the lush new store concept to a "fa nt asy closet" t hat tempers high-watt age glit z (think gold chain mail and five different types of marble) with a cozy, relaxed feeling. It's a space that inspires you to kick off your shoes—and then buy five new pairs. "Las Vegas is all about glamour and dressing up," Choi says. "Our clients here tend to pick a lot of creative things…. They're quite bold. They love something that's different." She's also putting her stamp on the goods them- selves. This season she is introducing Choo.08 —a cool, tomboyish collection of biker booties, wedge sneakers, and smoking slippers for gals on the go. "Choo.08 is my aesthetic pushed to the forefront," says Choi, who has two daughters under the age of 5. "I move around a lot, and I want to be able to wear Jimmy Choo all day long." She is also amping up the men's line—with inspiration from gentleman rockers such as Albert Hammond Jr. and Sr. (and surely her husband, artist/designer Tamburlaine Gorst)—a nd pay ing homage to her uncle w it h a made-to-order shoe program. "There is something about Jimmy Choo that's really magical," Choi says. "Going forward, I think it can be a bigger picture… and it might not just be in product. Watch this space." The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-691-2097; The Shops at Crystals, 702- 366-0503; Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian and Palazzo, 702-733-1802; jimmychoo.com V Shoe-In! SANDRA CHOI IS REINVENTING LAS VEGAS'S SHOEFETISH FAVORITE, JIMMY CHOO, THIS SUMMER. BY ERIN MAGNER TASTEMAKER VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 69 reasures