Whitney Port attended the Jimmy Choo H&M launch party in L.A. this week wearing a black mini and leather jacket.  So, what was her footwear choice for the event?  She wears a leopard print bootie called the Minky Linky from UK shoe store Office.  This must be her go-to pair of the moment because she was also seen wearing the same pair at a recent Kohl’s event celebrating the launch of fellow ex-Hills’er Lauren Conrad’s LC Lauren Conrad line.

The Minky Linky is available at Office for 85 GBP, which is around $140, and they do ship nearly anywhere in the world, but the leopard version is practically sold out.  They do have solid black and purple options available.

A similar leopard wedge ankle boot is available at Boden for $208.

Speaking of Jimmy Choo for H&M, you can see new information on the collection at the H&M website.  See all of the women’s shoes in the line, including prices (click Collection Overview at the bottom after the intro).  I noticed the prices have actually increased since the last promo video they offered on the site.  The select shoes they showed on that video were all $69.99-$99.99, but now most are in the $99-$149 range (and they were mostly $129-$149 when I checked just yesterday, so it’s gone down again).  There is very high demand for the line, after all, but I still think it’s quite a steal for Jimmy Choos.

If you plan to brave the crowds in-store on November 14, check out their How to Shop information (click How to Shop at the bottom after the intro).

Whitney Port photo credits: Wenn.com (H&M Event) and WireImage (Kohl’s Event) via sites linked above

Anticipation just keeps building for the Jimmy Choo H&M Collection, which will hit stores November 14.  As I reported before, there were preview photos circulating the internet back in September, but we can go straight to the source now that H&M offers a Jimmy Choo for H&M Collection preview video right on their website.  So, you may be wondering about the price points.  The video and slide show provide prices for a few of the shoes and they are all in the $69.99-$99.99 range, but their over-the-knee boot is reported to be $299 (in comparison, a regular Jimmy Choo OTK boot will set you back well over $1,000).  So, what about quality?  Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon tells WWD “It was a challenge for us to create high-quality pieces at an H&M price point”, but all of the shoes will be made from real leather.

This marks a couple firsts for both H&M and Jimmy Choo.  It’s H&M’s first designer shoe line and it’s the first time Jimmy Choo has delved into designing apparel, which is also included in this collection.  Although original Jimmy Choo lovers may worry that a budget line may dilute the luxury brand, this won’t be an on-going strategy for the company.  Chief executive Joshua Schulman tells the New York Times:

““The H&M project is a ‘flash,’ a ‘moment in time’ and as such allows us to explore a younger client base and other product categories for a limited time basis…[it isn't] an ongoing diffusion strategy in any way.”

However, Jimmy Choo does have plans to expand in other areas to further transition into a “lifestyle” brand. According to the NYT article, they plan to introduce Jimmy Choo scarves, expand their handbag and eyewear lines and develop a Jimmy Choo fragrance, in addition to other luxury items.

“We remain deeply committed to our overall luxury positioning,” says Schulman.  In other words, if you love the Jimmy Choo H&M Collection like I do, get in on it while you can.  Find a store near you here.

Update: The preview video/slideshow is no longer available at the above links, but you can see their new information here. It looks like some of the price points have changed as well.  Most of the shoes are now $129-149, but there are some pairs that were listed at $69.99-$99.99 before.

You may have heard the announcement retailer H&M made earlier this year about their upcoming collaboration with luxe designer Jimmy Choo.  If you didn’t hear the news, surprise!  It’s time to get excited, especially for those of us who normally can’t squeeze a drool-worthy pair of Choos into the budget, no matter how hard we try.  The collection of shoes, clothes and accessories (said to be in the $60-$200 range for most styles) won’t be available for purchase in stores until November 14, but there are plenty of sneak-peek photos circulating around the internet now, whetting our appetites for what’s to come.  You can check out a slide show at The Cut. 

I noticed the black and blue heel (pictured above) totally looks like the Jimmy Choo Loop pair worn by Fergie several months ago (get a closer look at CoolSpotters) - although I don’t know if a neon orange option will be available.   There’s also major similarities with this blue H&M pair (pictured left) and another previous Jimmy Choo style, the Pixie (seen here at ThisNext).  Although they will be far less costly, at least the H&M shoes look like the real deal.

Unfortunately, H&M doesn’t sell online in the U.S., but you can find a store near you here.

*Update* This post is from 2009.  See the latest posts on neon shoes for more.

Fergie created some buzz recently at the 34th Annual March of Dimes Beauty Ball with her newly dark hair and her super-bright neon orange and black Jimmy Choo Loop sandals.  The look is certainly edgy and totally rock ‘n’ roll, so it begs the question: Is neon emerging as a trend once again this year? People Style Watch says yes - they list neon as one of the top spring trends in their March 2009 edition.  Even so, some people may shy away from neon because of its potential to go terribly wrong (like those squint-inducing 80’s get-ups), but the look can also be oh-so-right (like this hot style from Mary-Kate Olsen last year).  The trick to wearing neon, as you’ve probably heard before, is to keep it minimal and pair it with neutrals to avoid color overkill.  Think black, white and tan with a pop of bright neon for maximum impact.  If you’re ready to work this trend, here are some hot-hued styles to try:

Left to right: Guess Innocent for $109.95 at Zappos, Davis by Ruthie Davis Pixel for $235.48 at Amazon, Luichiny Que for $112 at Shoes.com after 20% off ENTSHOES09 coupon code, Farylrobin Poppy Platform for $229.95 at Endless, Rocket Dog Neon Sandal for $29.50 at Delias after $10 off DXCGIFT coupon code (exp. 3/31), Wet Seal Patent Buckle Sandal for $12.50 at Wet Seal, Guess Carrie for $73.60 at Shoes.com after ENTSHOES09 coupon code or at Guess.com for $90 (additional sizes in yellow) or at Heels.com for $84.99, DV by Dolce Vita Damsel for $66.95 at Amazon

In related shoe news, Fergie was spotted wearing one of her own styles, the Fergie Pepper Platform Sandal, at a Nordstrom event to promote her shoe line.  This is a hot style that you can find at Nordstrom, but also at Shoes.com for a better price.  They have it for $129, but it’s reduced to $103.20 after using coupon code ENTSHOES09 at checkout.  Shipping is free and other color options include purple and brown.

Head over to Bluefly by tomorrow to check out their 2-Day Shoe Sale, which discounts select designer shoes by up to 75%.  I definitely love the array of shoes they have pictured on their homepage right now to promote the sale.  Prices start at $23.99 for Kate Spade jelly flops and go up to nearly $1,700 for Dolce & Gabbana boots.  Other brands include Prada, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and more.  Sale ends 2/7/09.

If you’ve always wanted your own pair of Jimmy Choos, or if you want to add to your collection, now is a great time.  The luxe retailer is having a New Arrivals Sale, which takes 50% off almost every pair of these designer shoes.  While still quite a splurge for most of us, the sale puts many of these pairs into the more attainable two to three hundred dollar range rather than several hundred dollars or more.  And, of course, all these shoes are amazing.  A fairly substantial tax/duty charge and shipping charge is added to every order.  Sale expiration unknown.

Note: You may need to change the currency to United States rather than United Kingdom at top.

Update 1/29/09 - The New Arrivals Sale is over, but there are still many pairs at Jimmy Choo that are 50% off.  You can see their sale shoes here.