Tamara Mellon - Tamara Mellon to launch own fashion line

Tamara Mellon to launch own fashion line

Tamara Mellon is set to put her own name to a fashion line.

The businesswoman - who built the Jimmy Choo brand with the eponymous Malaysian-born cobbler - sold the company for $800 million in 2011, leaving her with an estimated $135 million fortune, and has been carefully plotting her next move ever since.

Tamara signed a non-compete agreement when she left Jimmy Choo, which is now set to expire, and she is planning to go into business in a big way.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: ''The plan is to open a number of upmarket flagship stores in New York, Los Angeles and London, with further plans to expand into Asia. There is also some talk of a move into lifestyle once things really take off.''

Tamara was said to be raising some $25 million recently to start the business. Investors include fashion heavyweights Tory Burch and Tommy Hilfiger, and Tamara's ambitious plans see her plan to open further stores in Brazil, Hong Kong, Qatar and Singapore in the next few years.

Speaking about leaving Jimmy Choo, Tamara, 45, said she wanted to go while still young enough to start a new business.

She said: ''I'd rather take the risk and have a new challenge.''