Everyone has a story that ties them to Jimmy Choo, and on the second day of New York Fashion Week, Vogue100 gathered at Casa Cruz—the private hideaway for Manhattan’s most stylish insiders—to toast the brand they love. Hosted by Jimmy Choo’s powerhouse creative director, Sandra Choi, along with Vogue’s Fashion Market and Collaborations Director, Willow Lindley, the lunch was an afternoon of conversation, cocktails, and, of course, Choos.
Choi had jetted in from London just days before to launch Jimmy Choo’s Spring 2025 campaign with New York It girl Chloë Sevigny and visit their recently opened Madison Avenue flagship. But this lunch was more than just a stylish interlude in the action for Choi—it was a moment to bring together the world of Jimmy Choo and the voices that have shaped it.
Over flutes of Champagne, Lindley welcomed guests with a toast to Choi’s arrival in New York for the occasion. Choi lifted her glass in return, noting that while it was clear everyone in the room already knew and loved Jimmy Choo—the collection of Choos beneath the table spoke for itself—she was there for something more. “Today, we want to get to know you,” she announced. “So thank you for being here with Jimmy Choo.”
At one table, Jimmy Choo’s president of North America, Jaime Wynn, presided over lively discussions, while Choi and Lindley exchanged stories with guests at another. Talk soon turned to the first and favorite Jimmy Choo story.
For Jennifer Lee, it was a pair of pearl-encrusted heels that carried her down the aisle. Jamie Soros’s first Choos were the “interview” shoes that strutted her into her first job with confidence—and later, another pair was slipped into her honeymoon suitcase to step into new adventures. For Dawn Beswick, her first Jimmy Choos were a reward for a career triumph—so cherished that they’ve been worn only once and saved for posterity. And for Helena Lunardelli, Choos were wedding shoes and a symbol of love.
Guests settled into the plush green velvet banquettes of Casa Cruz’s private dining room, framed by sweeping, floor-to-ceiling palm-frond wallpaper, a study in Upper East Side chic meets tropical reverie. Along the tables, a runway of tumbling white Phalaenopsis orchids spilled from vases as plates of grill-kissed Caesar salad, scallop ceviche, orecchiette al limone, branzino, and chicken Valdostana, prepared by Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, arrived—each dish as impeccably crafted as the setting itself.
As espresso was served and the conversation showed no signs of slowing, a final touch of Choi’s signature magic appeared—a Micro Bon Bon bag, a chic, party-ready treasure for each guest in celebration of the afternoon.
Between shared memories and lingering laughter, one thing was clear—Jimmy Choo isn’t just a brand: it’s a rite of passage, a piece of personal history, a defining fashion moment. And as the stylish heels that had gathered at Casa Cruz clicked back into the whirlwind of Fashion Week, their wearers were already stepping into the next chapter of their Choo story.
