Shoe designer extraordinaire Jimmy Choo arrived in Bath by the Orient Express this week to help promote a health festival.

Sporting a sophisticated pair of black shoes, one of the biggest names in fashion enjoyed a tour of the Thermae Bath Spa with his wife Rebecca to celebrate the venue's Malaysian Spa Festival.

Speaking of his home country, Malaysian Mr Choo said: "Malaysia is a beautiful, vibrant place, and it is lovely to see people in Bath enjoying aspects of my culture."

He was greeted by staff from the spa, who took him into the open air Cross Bath.

There he was entertained by a group of university students playing traditional instruments called gamelan.

Mr Choo said he was always keen to come to Bath: "This is my second time in Bath, and I think it is a beautiful city with lots of history.

"My wife and I always like to come here, as the people are so friendly and welcoming."

Mr Choo said he had wanted to be a shoe designer since he was a young child, and had been in London promoting the importance of craftsmanship.

He said: "My father was a shoe designer, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.

"It is the best job ever, and I love to see people happy when they wear one of my designs."

For budding shoe designers wanting to follow in his footsteps, he had this advice: "You have to carry on and never give up.

"When I first started and I was working on a big design I used to get in work for 7am, and I wouldn't leave until 3am the next day.

"You have to put in the hours to get the results.

"Everybody has it in them to be creative, they just have to work hard and be determined to succeed."

The festival goes on until May 17.

Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the touch, taste, and sound of Malaysia, with a range of different treatments and entertainment.

A Malaysian chef is working alongside the head chef at the spa to create a daytime menu with a choice of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes.

Therapists are offering a range of traditional treatments, including a Malay traditional massage and a Chinese pearl and rice facial.

A spa spokeswoman said: "It was a great honour to welcome Jimmy Choo to Thermae Bath Spa. From Malaysia, Jimmy Choo is one of the world's leading names in shoe design and we were delighted that he could visit during our Malaysian Spa Festival.

"We always encourage people to come and see for themselves what Thermae has to offer and we are delighted that Jimmy Choo accepted our invitation."

Source: http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Jimmy-Choo-drops-spa/article-967545-detail/article.html

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