Kimora Lee Simmons: The Multiethnic Fashion Moguel Behind Baby Phat
Written by Daphne Bryant
Image courtesy of Desiree Navarro / FilmMagic
You might not know the name Kimora Lee Simmons, but you definitely know her work. The ever-fabulous Simmons is an American businesswoman, fashion designer, television personality and former fashion model, and if that’s still not ringing a bell then maybe the name Baby Phat does! Baby Phat is one of the most iconic global lifestyle brands of the Y2K era, which Simmons launched in 1999.
Simmons was born in St. Louis, Missouri and a frequent target of bullying, partially because of her multiethnic background (African-American on her father’s side and Japanese-Korean on her mother’s). Simmons grew up always feeling different, which her mother tried to combat by enrolling her in modeling classes.
At age thirteen Simmons attended a model search in Kansas City, where she was discovered by an agent who worked for Glamour, and subsequently sent to Paris. Isn’t that ironic? The very things that Simmons was teased for by her peers is exactly what made her stand out in the fashion industry. Bullies have always and will always suck, but it’s nice seeing karma play out in real time. Soon after going to Paris Simmons secured an exclusive modeling contract with Chanel and began working under the tutelage of the late Karl Lagerfeld. She rose to fame at a time when multiethnic looks were uncommon in high-end fashion advertising:“ Karl chose to put a mixed-race model on a Parisian runway before anyone else. By his example, I learned how to stand tall and claim my destiny - to dream bigger than I ever thought possible and command my dreams into reality” says Simmons. The young model went on to walk the runway for fashion houses like Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent, and appeared on the cover of publications such as Vogue and Elle.
A decade after Simmons closed the 1989 Chanel haute couture show“ The Bride”, Baby Phat came to be. The women’s label was launched as an offshoot of the men’s streetwear line Phat Farm and overarching fashion label Phat Fashions, which her then husband Russell Simmons had founded. Like other black-owned fashion labels that emerged around that time, Kimora’s Baby Phat was created to offer consumers collections that were authentic to the culture. The brand initially mirrored the trajectory of hip-hop music and associated styles, but very quickly crossed barriers of culture and race. What started out as bedazzled-logo baby tees that were passed out to model and musician friends became an empire that helped turn streetwear into what it is today. Baby Phat had mass-marketability and became a staple of popular culture; it still is. I feel it’s also worth noting that Simmons grew to be very vocal about both her Asian and African-American heritage, and you can see the influence of both cultures in the products; this is one of the coolest things about Baby Phat, and it’s something that similar woman-founded labels, such as Juicy Couture, lack.
Image courtesy of Carlo Allegri / Getty Images
Of course, fashion brands need to have fashion shows, and in the 00s Baby Phat fashion shows became the jewel of NYFW. Celebrities like Aaliyah, Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliot and Paris Hilton eagerly attended and created an addictive buzz around the clothes. While researching Simmons’ entrepreneurship journey I found a sweet detail about these Baby Phat shows; she concluded every single one by walking the runway with her daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, in hand. Once again, how can you not love her; how can you not acknowledge her influence?
Simmons is always proud to be a businesswoman and a mother. If you look up Kimora Lee Simmons, you’ll certainly see cunty photos of her, but you’ll also always see her with her children too, and you’ll see them togteher in these high-end fashion spaces, on red carpets, at said shows. These days her daughters are always advising Simmons on how to bring that Gen Z flair, youth, drama and social media finesse to the brand.
Even back then though, the name Baby Phat had weight. Simmons melded fashion, celebrity, and music culture, prioritized size inclusivity and advocated for an array of races and ethnicities on the runway. What she did has become common practice, but it’s hard to re-capture the magic that was Baby Phat.
Image courtesy of Kimora Lee Simmons / Baby Phat
In a lot of ways Baby Phat was very much so a movement; to have a half-black and half-Asian supermodel, mom and fashion mogul making significant, mainstream headways in the industry was unheard of. Baby Phat’s billion-dollar success allowed for the company to expand into new product categories, such as jewelry, handbags, footwear, swimwear, outerwear, and damn delicious fragrances. Talk about reach!
In interviews Simmons always points out Baby Phat’s ethos, which is centered around female empowerment. Being woman-owned, woman-led, and designed for women by women, in my opinion, is what makes Baby Phat resonate. It’s what makes it special. I love this legacy brand and I love what it stands for, and I love that someone like Simmons is the genius behind it. That kind of epic representation goes a long way.
I think it’s safe to say that Simmons is the absolute girlboss. She’s had her own reality TV show, won Tony Awards, written books, done tons of philanthropic work, advocates for beauty in diversity, and even has her own Barbie Doll. As the founder of Dreamworldgirl Zine, I look up to her. I aim to create something with an impact like Baby Phat, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
