Tamara Mellon

Tamara Mellon

Co-founder and ex-Chief Creative Officer of Jimmy Choo, an opulent label that offers designer handbags, shoes and an array of accessories – Tamara Mellon was born in London. She came to this world as Tom Yeardye‘s daughter in 1967. Her father was a successful entrepreneur and one of the founders of a salon chain, Vidal Sassoon. Tamara’s mother, Ann Davis is a former model for Chanel. Tamara is the eldest among the three children of the couple.

Tamara’s surname Mellon comes from her short-lived marriage to Mathew Mellon, a major shareholder in the Jimmy Choo company.

A decade after Tamara’s birth, her family shifted to Beverly Hills in a house next to Nancy Sinatra. She spent the summers in alternative locations, the United Kingdom and California. Moreover, she studied at two girl’s schools, Heathfield St Mary’s School and Brigidine Convent School before attending Institut Alpin Vidermanette.

Tamara Mellon started her career by working at Phyllis Walters PR. Following this, in 1990 she became the editor of accessories at British Vogue. When she had formed the Jimmy Choo label with the shoe-maker Choo, Mellon secured finance from her father for the establishment of the business. In Italy, Mellon set up an office to manage quality control, production and shipping. By the time it was 2001, the brand was available to more than hundred wholesalers, including Harvey Nicholas and Harrods. Later when the company was taken over, Mellon left.

For her achievements, she was appointed as the Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010. Three year before this, Tamara Mellon was ranked 751 in the Sunday Times Rich List, U.K. Apart from this, she is New Enterprise Council‘s member. It is an association of entrepreneurs who provides their advises to the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, on business needs policies. In 2010, she was named the Britain’s envoy of global trade by the British Government. Since 2008, she is also member of Revlon‘s Board of Directors. Moreover, she became Elton John AIDS Foundation‘s patron.

Moving away from all the business and work related aspects of her life, Mellon finds true and greatest happiness in ‘love’. She is delighted to see the love in her daughter’s eyes and the same amount of joy is instilled in her heart when she sees her boyfriend.

Since she has worked with dignified designers and businessmen, she feels that ‘time’ defines luxury. Mellon thinks that when she has time and space to think, she comes up with the best ideas.

Her favorite childhood times involved being hugged by her father. As described by Tamara, he was a warm, caring and loving man. She was very close to him and admired him a lot since he taught Tamara many important things, such as think ‘out of the box’. Her most beloved possession is a photograph of her father from the 1980s, in his office. According to her, he looks strong and handsome.

Tamara loved smoking, however she stopped the habit and started eating Nicorette. Whenever she smells smoke, it turns her off.

People may illustrate her personality in different ways, however in an interview when she was asked to describe herself in less than five words, she took some time to answer. She defined herself as ambitious, tenacious, entrepreneurial, passionate and compassionate. Pretty much all the qualities a person needs in order to be successful.