NI teen’s ‘dream’ of working alongside design legend Jimmy Choo comes true

Heidi Hutchinson (17) was awarded first place in the international fashion design competition run by the British luxury clothing label, most famous for their high heels.

She will now head to Mayfair in London next month where she will work for two weeks alongside legendary designer Susan Fang — and Choo himself — at the Jimmy Choo Academy of Fashion.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Heidi, who lives just outside Cookstown, said winning the competition in which she competed against hundreds of other people across the world “was a dream come true”.

“I’ve always wanted to be a fashion designer, so this extra approval is exciting. It’s the only career I’ve ever wanted to be in. I don’t know why, but it’s always been in my mind,” the teenager said.

The competition was based around creating a design focused on the theme of nature, with a sustainable twist.

Heidi said she didn’t have to look too far for inspiration for her winning design, as she lives in the countryside — so she simply headed into her garden.

“I had to create a mood board as well. Susan Fang, who really inspires me, created the theme. I based my design around things laying around to do with nature, everything sustainable – leaves, greenery, and everything I could see outside.”

Heidi’s mother Rhonda Hutchinson did express some concern at first, as the competition, which Heidi first noticed online, came at the same time as her revision for her AS-Levels in mid-April.

“I asked her if she had time to do it because exams were coming at her, but I saw it was a huge opportunity for her. Luckily she didn’t have to travel for her inspiration, she juggled it all so well,” said Mrs Hutchinson.

The winning design is a two-piece dress-type garment, with the pair saying “they couldn’t believe it” when Heidi found out she had won last week. It is being kept under wraps until a showcase in July.

Heidi will now be based in London for two weeks with the Jimmy Choo label, where she will create designs and build a portfolio, which the teenager said she will use to help her apply for fashion design school next year.

Heidi’s school, Rainey Endowed School in Magherafelt, also celebrated their pupil’s success in a post on Facebook — but it’s not the first time the school has seen one of its students rise up the ranks in the world of fashion. The school boasts award-winning designer and head of fashion house Loewe, Jonathan Anderson, as a former pupil. By chance, Mrs Hutchinson taught the Magherafelt designer art during his time there.

“I remember Jonathan well,” said Mrs Hutchinson. “I remember talking to him about fashion and he was like ‘What, no’, before I saw him off to university.” During a pre-competition visit to Jimmy Choo in London last year, the mother and daughter ran into Anderson’s brother, who helped them get passes to the designer’s show in Camden.

“I thought this experience would make or break Heidi when it came to the world of fashion, with all the celebrities and paparazzi everywhere — but she loved it. She came away from it even more certain to become a designer,” added Mrs Hutchinson.