Pre-owned Jimmy Choo shoes

Jimmy Choo vintage: archive models and how to recognize them

At Jimmy Choo, we didn't have to decide what was vintage: the house did it itself. In 2025, for its thirtieth anniversary, it reopened its archives and reissued eight silhouettes from the 1997-2001 window, the years of the collaboration between Jimmy Choo and Tamara Mellon. A trap to be aware of, which reverses the usual reflex: at Jimmy Choo, a famous model is probably recent, because the house keeps its stars in production for years.

• The Choo and Mellon years1996-2001
• "The Archive" window, reissued in 20251997-2001
• Sandra Choi alone at the helmsince 2013

Jimmy Choo archive models

• The Strappy 1997 reissued in 2025

  cross-strap sandal, minimalist design—as few straps as possible, designed for dancing

• 72138 1998 reissued in 2025

  lilac suede sandal adorned with white feathers on the toe strap; a factory reference that became a model name

• The Slide 1999 reissued in 2025

  mint nubuck mule, chiseled toe, high upper

• The Thong 2000 reissued in 2025

  silver chainmail triangle sandal

• The Flower 2001 reissued in 2025

  metallic nappa sandal topped with a floating silk corsage

Recognizing and dating a pair of Jimmy Choo

• Two misconceptions fall away. "JIMMY CHOO LONDON" on the insole dates nothing: the marking is attested identically from 1995 to today—it's a brand name, not a place of manufacture or an era marker. And "COUTURE" is not a post-2001 marker: a museum holds mules from 1998 that bear it.
• However, references from 2008 to 2014 encode the season, which allows dating a pair from that decade.
• The eight names of the 2025 capsule were given retrospectively: one can say "the silhouette reissued under the name The Leo," not "a 1998 The Leo."

What to look for before buying

• The house itself documents the weaknesses of its materials, which is rare. On the leather sole: it wears out over time, particularly on pointed-toe models, and the house offers resoling — a worn sole is therefore never a deal-breaker here, we refurbish it.
• Patent leather is particularly absorbent to ink and dark pigments: on light patent leather, transferred color penetrates the layer, which is the most difficult defect to remedy.
• On metallics and prints, the finish is on the surface: abrasion makes it disappear and solvents remove it. We clean them without alcohol, never otherwise.

What makes a pair valuable

• A silhouette from the 1997-2001 window, the one the house itself dedicated.
• An intact metallic or printed finish — this is the primary depreciation factor.
• A sole properly redone and announced as such.
• A common size, and the original box.

Sources: jimmychoo.com (« The Archive: 1997-2001 » et guide d'entretien), WWD, SHOWstudio, L'Officiel, Victoria & Albert Museum (T.155-1996, T.15-2002, T.284-1998, T.73-2012). Updated on 8/31/26.