Kimora Lee Simmons

Kimora Lee Simmons is a renowned fashion model, entrepreneur, and television personality. She gained fame in the fashion industry, becoming a prominent businesswoman and model, best known for her role with Baby Phat, a significant urban fashion brand she helped develop. Alongside her fashion endeavors, she has appeared in multiple television shows and has been active in philanthropy.

Kimora Lee Simmons was born on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri. Growing up, she encountered challenges due to her height and mixed-race heritage, with her father being African American and her mother of Japanese and Korean descent. Her early life was marked by a significant opportunity at age 11 when she was discovered by a modeling agent, paving the way for a successful career in fashion. Balancing school with her burgeoning career, she moved to Paris at a young age to work with major fashion houses, including Chanel.

Kimora Lee Simmons attended Lutheran High School North in St. Louis, Missouri. At 14, she was discovered by a model scout and quickly moved to Paris to model for Chanel under Karl Lagerfeld. Later, she pursued further education at the University of Hartford in Connecticut. Details about any other formal or informal training she received are not publicly documented.

Kimora Lee Simmons began a successful modeling career at just 13 when discovered by Chanel's scout. She launched Baby Phat in 1999, complementing Russell Simmons' Phat Farm. Her leadership helped shape urban fashion. She also introduced KLS Cosmetics in 2007, served as President and Creative Director for JustFab in 2011, and successfully relaunched KLS Kimora Lee Simmons in 2015. Kimora reacquired and revived Baby Phat in 2019. These ventures, along with her reality TV show 'Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane,' reflect her dynamic career.

Kimora Lee Simmons married Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, in 1998. The couple has two daughters, Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons. They divorced in 2009. She later had a son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, with actor Djimon Hounsou in 2009. In 2013, she married Tim Leissner, a former Goldman Sachs banker, and they have two sons, Wolfe Lee Leissner and Gary, whom they adopted.

Kimora Lee Simmons has expressed plans to expand her fashion empire and continue her philanthropic work, focusing on empowering young women through education and entrepreneurship. Her ambition to diversify her business ventures reveals her commitment to maintaining a prominent place in fashion.