Kimora Lee Simmons Bio | Wiki
Kimora Lee Simmons is an American model and television personality. She is the founder of Baby Phat. Kimora is known for starring in the reality television shows Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane from 2007 to 2011 and Kimora: House of Fab in 2013.
At age 13, Kimora’s mother signed a modeling contract with Chanel under the tutelage of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. Simmons helped inspire Lagerfeld’s creative vision and call for racial inclusion, and paved the way for other mixed-race models in the fashion world. Lagerfeld deemed her the “Face of the 21st Century”.
Kimora Lee Simmons Age
Kimora was born on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. She is 48 years old.
Kimora Lee Simmons Height
She is a woman of tall stature and stands at a height of 6 ft in ( Approx. 1.83 m ).
Kimora Lee Simmons Parents | Family
She was born in St. Louis, Missouri to her parents Joanne Perkins and Vernon Whitlock Jr. Kimora is of African-American and Japanese-Korean heritage. Her father worked as a Federal Marshal, an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigator, a bail bondsman, and later became a barber in St. Louis. He was sentenced to prison for the distribution of narcotics when Kimora was in grade school. Later, her parents split up and her mother raised Kimora.
Kimora Lee Simmons Husband
Kimora was first married to Russell Simmons on December 20, 1998, in St. Barts. They have two daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee. The couple separated in March 2006 and later divorced. Kimora began dating actor and former model Djimon Hounsou in 2006. In 2008 they had a wedding ceremony in Benin. In May 2009, she gave birth to their son Kenzo Lee Hounsou.
Their relationship ended in 2012; with Hounsou revealing they never married in the USA because Kimora was still married to Russell in 2008. In February 2014, Kimora confirmed that she had married Tim Leissner, a banker at Goldman Sachs. In April 2015, she gave birth to their son, Wolfe Lee Leissner.
Leissner was subsequently convicted for his involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. During the trial, Leissner revealed that he was still married to his second wife Judy Chan Leissner. He lied to Kimora and showed fake divorce documents attesting to being divorced from Chan.
Kimora Lee Simmons Children
Kimora has two children with her first husband Ming Lee (born 2000) and Aoki Lee (born 2002). With her husband Djimon Hounsou, she has a son Kenzo Lee (born in 2009). Shehas a son Wolfe Lee (born 2015) with Tim Leissner. In January 2020, Kimora adopted 10-year-old Gary Lee, making her a mother of five.
Kimora Lee Simmons Book
Kimora’s 2006 book Fabulosity: What It Is and How to Get It was published by Harper Entertainment and garnered positive reviews as a lifestyle manual from such publications as the Washington Post and Boston Globe. She produced Def Poetry Jam on Broadway for which she won a Tony Award in 2003 for a “Special Theatrical Event”.
Kimora Lee Simmons Model
By the age of 10, Kimora was nearly 6 ft tall which made her teased in school. To boost her confidence because of her height, her mother enrolled her in a modeling class when she was eleven years old. At age 13, Perkins signed a modeling contract with Chanel and under the tutelage of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Kimora helped inspire Lagerfeld’s creative vision and call for racial inclusion, and paved the way for other mixed-race models in the fashion world. Lagerfeld deemed her the “Face of the 21st Century”.
Kimora gained attention in the fashion world when she closed Lagerfeld’s haute couture show in 1989 as the “bride” – the concluding bridal look signature to every Chanel show under Lagerfeld’s tenure. Later, she modeled for Fendi, Valentino, Emanuel Ungaro, Christian Dior, Roberto Cavalli, Kenzo, Anna Sui, Geoffrey Beene, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Kimora Lee Simmons Life in the Fab Lane
She was the focal star of the Style Network’s show Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane. This reality show showcased Kimora’s life as a businesswoman who balances her family life. It debuted in 2007 and lasted for seven seasons.
Kimora herself served as producer for four episodes in 2007 and then as executive producer for another ten episodes between 2009 and 2010. Kimora: House of Fab debuted in 2013 in tandem with her tenure at JustFab. She also served as executive producer for each episode that aired on the Style Network.
Kimora Lee Simmons Baby Phat | Phat Fashions
Kimora created a parallel women’s brand, “Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons”, under the umbrella of “Phat Fashions”. She stepped in as Baby Phat’s designer, creating a collection based on what she would wear. In 2000, she was appointed president and creative director of the Baby Phat brand. In 2001, Baby Phat reported gross revenue earnings of $30 million.
By 2002, Phat Farm and Baby Phat had made a combined profit of $265 million. In 2006, Kimora was named president of parent company Phat Fashions. Phat fashions partnered with Silver Goose/Kidstreet to create an infant and toddler accessory line in 2007. In 2019, she announced she had reacquired the Baby Phat brand, and in August 2020 she announced the Baby Phat Beauty line curated by her daughters Ming Lee and Aoki Lee.
Kimora Lee Simmons Movies
In addition to modeling, Kimora has appeared in multiple roles in television and films including Beauty Shop, Brown Sugar, and Waist Deep. She has also appeared in music videos for Ginuwine, Usher, and Jay-Z, as well as in video games.
2001 For Your Love
2003 America’s Next Top Model
2007–2011 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane
2013 Kimora: House of Fab
1993 For Love or Money
1999 The Big Tease
2002 Brown Sugar
2005 Beauty Shop
2005 Rebound
2006 Waist Deep
Kimora Lee Simmons Net Worth
She earns her wealth from her career, therefore, she has amassed a fortune over the years. Kimora’s estimated net worth is $200 million.
Who Is Kimora Lee Simmons
Kimora is an American model and television personality. She is the founder of Baby Phat. Kimora is known for starring in the reality television shows Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane from 2007 to 2011 and Kimora: House of Fab in 2013.