Luxury shoemaker Jimmy Choo has been snapped up by a US private equity firm working with the firm's management team, including British co-founder Tamara Mellon, the buyers said on Sunday.

TowerBrook Capital Partners paid 185 million pounds for the brand, favoured by stars like singers Madonna and Beyonce Knowles, which it bought from Lion Capital, another private equity group.

The brand has more than 60 stores worldwide, including in the US, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

In a statement, Mellon said that the brand was "raising the spirits and capturing the hearts of women all over the world."

"This new partnership will not only give us the ability to meet the demand that is creating for our range of products, but also achieve my original vision for Jimmy Choo to be one of the world's most treasured luxury brands," she added.

The Malaysian-born designer whose name the company bears is no longer involved in the business, having sold his share in 2001.