Jimmy Choo's jeweled shoes make dazzling London debut

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World-renowned shoe designer Prof. Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat OBE presented its debut collection of jeweled shoes at London Fashion Week.

Genavant is a new brand created by Prof. Choo and third generation jewelry designer Reggie Hung.

World-renowned shoe designer Prof. Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat OBE. /CGTN Photo

It comes 17 years after Prof. Choo sold his stake of the namesake brand, which is now owned by Michael Kors Holding.

The "Flying Cloud" centerpiece is an exquisite shoe decorated with blood-red natural rubies and diamonds. Chinese antiquities set the tone for the design as the pattern is inspired by porcelain of China's Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).

A pair of jewelry shoes at London Fashion Week. /CGTN Photo

"I indicate a lot of element inside, which has Qianlong's vase and Yongzheng's teacup that have printing on them. So in those designs, we try to put into the contemporary side of it," said Genavant co-founder Reggie Hung, who graduated from Central Saint Martins in London.

Against a backdrop recalling the bustling hub of the 1940s Shanghai, the shoes were worn by east Asian models dressed in bespoke qipaos, in a setting of old-world China with hints of Western influences.

Models dressed in traditional Chinese Qipao. /CGTN Photo

Prof. Choo said they are looking forward to being able to show off their designs and craftsmanship at the Shanghai Expo.

"We are prepared to go to Shanghai on November 5. It is a big day for us. Remember our father, mother, grandfather, grandmother and how Shanghai people used to dress up during the old days, to tell people how fashion looks like in Shanghai," said Prof. Choo.

The China International Import Expo was announced during President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May 2017.

The aim is to attract more foreign companies to sell their products in China and organizers hope to attract 150,000 institutional, domestic and foreign buyers.