Queen Consort visits new JCA Jimmy Choo Academy campus

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Feb 24, 2023

Professor Jimmy Choo and Stephen Smith continue to attract strong recognition for their co-founded JCA/London Fashion Academy. The pair’s recently-opened second academy in the city has now attracted the attention of the Queen Consort.

Camilla visited the newly renovated Boston Manor House in Brentford, west London, that also offers a learning centre for children and young adults. Included in the offer is JCA/London Fashion Academy’s new campus.

In partnership with the Academy, the restoration has seen the service wing of the house converted into an artisanal ‘Maker Space’ aimed at developing both undergraduate learners and local craftspeople “to further their skills and to incubate their businesses in fashion and fashion-related industries”.

Getting royal attention is always important as it helps focus wider attention on JCA and what the partners can achieve with their two academies.

Professor Choo said: “It has been a huge honour having Her Majesty the Queen Consort with us today and showing her what we do at our new campus. We are extremely proud to be part of [the] new transformation that the building and area will witness.”

The first campus, opened in 2021 and headquartered in Hanover Square in London’s Mayfair, focuses on design entrepreneurship, while the new one puts a focus on artisan crafts, design, and accessory making, while “dedicating itself to unearthing and sculpting a new wave of creative talent”.

Moreover, within the second campus, the Academy aims to “add a touch of flair and creativity to create a long-term progressive socio-economic impact on the local community of Brentford and of West London”. 

During her visit, the Queen also met children from a local school involved in a shoe-designing workshop, toured the workspaces and met undergraduate and postgraduate students and local artisans sewing, cutting and designing garments.