In the glamorous world of high fashion, Kimora Lee Simmons is one of the most respected, admired, and bold people. The St. Louis-born powerhouse, who is now 50 years old, is still changing what it means to live life in the “fab lane.” She is a model, designer, business mogul, and devoted mother of five. Simmons has been breaking down barriers, building empires, and doing it all with style for decades. She made her runway debut at 13 with Karl Lagerfeld watching, and tonight she returns to reality TV on E! Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane, her new show, starts on December 2, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. It’s a reminder that Simmons isn’t just getting by in the business; she’s taking it over, one bold step at a time.
Roots of Resilience: A Childhood That Made a Star
Simmons was born Kimora Lee Perkins on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her early life was full of contrasts. Her father, Vernon Whitlock Jr., was African American, and her mother, Kyoko Perkins, was Japanese with Korean roots. This made her stand out in the mostly white suburbs of Florissant, where she grew up. Simmons was 5’10” tall by the time she was 10, which made her a target for constant bullying. “I was always the tallest, the biggest, and the one who didn’t fit,” she said in an interview. This made her feel insecure, but it also made her very sure of herself.
Her mother’s smart intervention made all the difference. Simmons started taking modeling classes when she was 11, which led to a big break at a local talent search. Agent Marie-Christine Kollock of the Glamour agency in Kansas City saw her and took her to Paris just two years later. When she was 13, the famous creative director of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, saw her there and signed her right away. Simmons told Teen Vogue in 2019, “Karl changed me.” In 1989, she closed the Chanel haute couture show as “The Bride.” This made her a big name in international fashion. Her tall, statuesque body, striking features, and multiracial beauty that went against the narrow standards of the time got her on the covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle, as well as on the runways for Fendi, Valentino, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Simmons stayed grounded even though she traveled a lot. She graduated from Lutheran North High School in St. Louis. She got her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Hartford in 2018, which shows that she is committed to learning new things throughout her busy career.
Creating an Empire: From Model to Fashion Mogul
Simmons’ move from model to mogul was both smooth and bold. She started Baby Phat in 1999 as an offshoot of her then-husband Russell Simmons’ Phat Farm brand. This brand was a women’s urban lifestyle line that combined streetwear edge with feminine glamour. It was a big deal when it debuted at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on September 15, 1999. It was streamed live to Times Square’s Jumbotron and attended by Aaliyah, Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, and a young Paris Hilton. What began as a small brand grew into a billion-dollar business that includes jewelry, handbags, shoes, swimsuits, perfumes (like the famous Goddess and Golden Goddess lines made in partnership with Coty), and even baby clothes.
Simmons was one of the first women of color to run a major fashion company when she became president and creative director of Phat Fashions. She was in charge of Baby Phat, Phat Farm, and youth extensions. At its height, the empire was worth more than $1 billion, making her a pioneer. She said of the brand’s philosophy, “I wanted to make something that gave women the power to feel sexy and strong.”
Things got hard, as they always do. She left Phat Fashions and Kellwood in 2010 because the companies were going through changes. She didn’t let that stop her; from 2011 to 2015, she was president and creative director of JustFab. In 2015, she launched her own line, KLS, which is sold at Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor, and Farfetch. Her portfolio became more diverse when she invested in Codage skincare, Pureform Global CBD, Celsius energy drinks (which she bought in 2015), and Pellequr spa, which she co-launched in Beverly Hills in 2019. Her net worth was more than $200 million by 2021.
In March 2019, Simmons got Baby Phat back and relaunched it as a sportswear line for young adults that focuses on empowering women. This was the ultimate full-circle moment. The brand has stayed strong thanks to its cultural revival in the early 2020s, which was fueled by nostalgia and Gen Z’s love of Y2K styles.
A Life in the Spotlight: Marriage, Motherhood, and Strength
Simmons’ personal life has been just as interesting as her work life, and it has often made headlines. In December 1998, she married Russell Simmons, who co-founded Def Jam. They had two daughters, Ming Lee (born January 21, 2000) and Aoki Lee (born August 16, 2002), both of whom are now successful models in their own right. The couple split up in 2009, but they still get along as parents.
Simmons had a son named Kenzo Lee with actor Djimon Hounsou in 2007. They were together from 2007 to 2012. In 2014, she married investment banker Tim Leissner in a lavish Hawaiian ceremony, not knowing that he was still married to his ex-wife (he used fake documents to trick her). In April 2015, they had a son named Wolfe Lee. He is now 10 years old. There was a scandal that led to the end of the marriage: Leissner pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges in the 1MDB Malaysian financial fraud case and admitted to being married to two women at the same time. The couple broke up in February 2022, and in 2023, Simmons sued him for $93 million in shares that she said were hers but were not.
In the middle of all the chaos, Simmons adopted son Gary Lee (now 15) in 2020, bringing her family to five. She also thinks of Russell’s son Jaden from a previous relationship as a “bonus son.” Being a mother is still her guiding star. In the trailer for her new show, she joked, “I have a lot of kids,” listing them off with love: Ming, Aoki, Kenzo, Gary, and “Wolfy,” her youngest. Simmons is the modern matriarch: fierce, flawed, and fabulous. She balances cheering for her sons’ high school football games with guiding her daughters’ modeling careers.
Giving Back: A Powerful Force for Good
Simmons has an impact that goes far beyond billboards and boardrooms. She has long been a supporter of causes that are important to her as a board member of the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. In 2008, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay named March 14 “Kimora Day” in her honor. She gave $20,000 to PETA’s Angel for Animals Project that year and joined their protests against animal cruelty.
Over time, her commitments grew stronger. For example, in 2014 she set up a $1 million scholarship fund at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) for students who don’t have a lot of money. She gives money to the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQ+ youth, Keep a Child Alive, and amfAR (AIDS research). Since 2018, she has been the Lead Global Ambassador for The Unmentionables. She has given hygiene products to refugees and helped with Hurricane Harvey relief in 2017. She spoke about gender equality at the UN Women’s Global Innovation Coalition for Change in 2018, which led to the creation of the Gender Innovation Principles. In 2021, Baby Phat worked with Smile Train on a campaign to raise awareness about cleft lips and palates. In 2022, the brand gave away school supplies with Family Dollar and Crayola.
Back in the Fab Lane: A New Beginning in 2025
Fifteen years after Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane ended on E!, Simmons is back on reality TV with Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane, which Kevin Hart’s company made, comes out tonight. The show gives an unfiltered look at her “outrageous” life: dealing with her daughters’ supermodel demands, cheering on Kenzo and Gary’s championship games, celebrating Wolfe’s milestones, and steering Baby Phat’s comeback—all while giving advice on business and empowerment.
Simmons told E! News in an exclusive interview yesterday, “I feel like people around me are like, ‘Oh god, you’re so crazy.'” She laughed off the people who said she was crazy. But her superpower is to turn chaos into fashion. She looked amazing in a sparkling gold dress at the 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards, showing that she is still the best on the red carpet. The Simmons women are building a dynasty, passing down not only style but also smarts. At events like the Gold Gala in May, they were with Ming and Aoki.
Simmons isn’t just coming back for Back in the Fab Lane; she’s changing. In a world where businesses run by women and people of color are finally getting the attention they deserve, she’s the model. In the trailer, she winks and says, “I know you missed me!” It seems like they feel the same way. Kimora Lee Simmons: still strutting, still killing it, and still the queen of everything.
