SHE has got a beautiful face.

But the first thing I looked at when I met Ha Smith for the first time this week was her feet.

I'd been told 34-year-old Ha, the business development manager at the Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre in Halifax, was a close friend of iconic hand-made shoe designer Jimmy Choo. Choo is a god in the eyes of most shoe fanatics because of his sexy, stylish, luxurious footwear. He counts Royalty, celebrities and pop stars among his fans.

Ha, who was born in Vietnam, but came to England as a child, has been a family friend of Jimmy's for the past five years and she and her husband, Steve, often get together with him and his wife for dinner.

She took over her new role at the Elsie Whiteley centre five months ago and supports both new and expanding creative companies in the area. Two of her ideas have already received great acclaim.

The first are one-to-one surgeries at the centre for local business men and women, and the second is Creative Networks, which she set up with her husband in the Midlands four years ago and has now introduced to Yorkshire.

Creative Networks are regular free get-togethers for those who work in the creative field. They give individuals the chance to meet others and exchange ideas, and they always include an inspiring top speaker.

The last two were leading entrepreneur Jo Cameron who took part in the TV show The Apprentice, and film producer Nik Powell who set up Virgin Records with Richard Branson, and in 1982 formed his own production company. His films include Company of Wolves, Mona Lisa, The Crying Game, Little Voice, Last Orders and recently Ladies in Lavender staring Dame Judi Dench.

The get-togethers are held at Leeds College of Art and Design where Steve works. The couple have forged links between businesses in Calderdale and Leeds with them. They are supported by numerous such as West Yorkshire Lifelong Learning Network which is a partnership of higher education colleges and institutions.

As you might expect they are always well attended and the next one, which takes place tomorrow is no exception. In fact, it would be fair to say they have had to turn people away. That's because the speaker on this occasion is Professor Jimmy Choo, who is not only loved by women, but admired by men too for his business skills.

Jimmy, who was awarded a fellowship by the University of the Arts, London, which gave him the title professor, is not too keen on public speaking, which makes his trip to Leeds from his London home all the more remarkable.

He is doing it as a favour to Ha and Steve, so those in the audience should consider themselves extremely lucky.
"It's special invite only because the room only holds 200 and quite a few of them are VIP guests," says Ha who worked in the Midlands before moving north.
Jimmy will talk about how he started his business from nothing in an old hospital building in Hackney, East London but went on to transform it into a multi-million pound company, and how he is passionate about education and helping students. He is Ambassador for Footwear Education at the London College of Fashion and a spokesperson for the British Council in their promotion of British Education to foreign students. Individuals will then get the chance to ask him questions.
Ha, who loves shopping, food and travel, is keen to encourage creative people in Calderdale to use the Elsie Whiteley Centre. There are still units available to rent, and it has conference and meeting rooms which can be hired out by local companies.
And will she be wearing her Jimmy Choos tomorrow when she meets her friend? Quite possible she says adding that one of Jimmy's strengths is that he knows what pleases women. And we would all agree with that.

FACT FILE

• His full name is Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat

.

• He is a Malaysian of Chinese descent who was born in 1961 into a family

of shoemakers.

• He made his first shoe when he was 11.

• He graduated from Cordwainers Technical College, London, in 1983. The

college is now part of the London College of Fashion.

• He opened a workshop in East London in 1986 and his craftsmanship and

designs were soon noticed. International fame beckoned after his creations were featured over eight pages in a 1988 issue of Vogue.

• In 1996 he co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with UK Vogue accessories editor

Tamara Mellon.

• In April 2001 he sold his 50 per cent stake in the company for £10

million.The ready-to-wear line now includes accessories such as handbags.

• He now works on an exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line.

• He lives in London and has received numerous awards including an OBE in

2002.

• He is involved in a project to set up a shoemaking institute in

Malaysia.

• Celebrities who love his shoes include red-carpet women like Jessica

Simpson and Mischa Barton. Other fans are Jo-Lo, Jessica Beil, Victoria Beckham, Britney and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

• Jimmy Choo produces luxurious shoes for every occasion. They include

leather mules, pumps, boots and slingbacks. But it is his evening shoes that get people talking. There are sexy, elegant and unique.

• Jimmy Choo shoes are sold at exclusive department stores worldwide.

There are also 20 Jimmy Choo boutiques in London, Las Vegas, New York, Dallas, Moscow, Kuwait, Hong Kong and Korea.

• They range in price from a couple of hundred pounds to over £1,000.