Jimmy Choo creates Fukushima shoe line

Designer Jimmy Choo has unveiled a one-off range of shoes in Japan, made using materials and techniques native to the disaster-hit Fukushima area, in a bid to boost the profile of artisans there.

Choo was inspired to come up with the creations after visiting workshops in the area, which is struggling to overcome the tsunami-sparked nuclear catastrophe that hit in 2011.

There he found traditional materials that have been made in the area for hundreds of years, such as Aizu cotton, super-fine Kawamata silk and the Aizu lacquerware, which he thought could perfectly complement six pairs of high heels. "When I looked at the fabric, I felt it was very, very unusual, especially when I saw the workshop, the tradition 250 years old," the London-based designer says.

"They use their own material to create this beautiful fabric. These people ... they know how to weave the fabric [but] they don't know how important [it is] to let the whole world enjoy the craftsmanship, enjoy beautiful fabric."

The Penang, Malaysia-born Choo, whose haute couture shoes are worn by everyone from British royals to Madonna and US first lady Michelle Obama, says a pair of shoes is more than just something to wear on your feet.

"You know the shoe is a shoe, but a shoe to me is an art piece ... Some people can buy them and not necessarily wear them."