Choo was born in Penang, Malaysia into a family of shoemakers. He is of Chinese Hakka [2] descent. He made his first shoe when he was 11 years old. He is perhaps the most notable of students of Cordwainers Technical College in London Borough of Hackney, London from which he graduated in 1983. The college is now part of the London College of Fashion. Choo has divulged that he worked part-time at restaurants and as a cleaner at a shoe factory to help fund his college education.