KIMORA LEE SIMMONS

 An American fashion model, author, and former president and Creative Director for Phat Fashions.

Simmons was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She is Japanese and African-American.

Her mother is a Japanese-Korean and her father is African-American,

 She was adopted by an American serviceman during the Korean War and she now goes by her own mother's Japanese name, Kyoko. Kimora's father, Vernon Whitlock Jr., is African American, has worked as a Federal Marshal, an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigator, a bail bondsman, and is currently a barber in St. Louis.

Just after her thirteenth birthday, Kimora was awarded an exclusive modeling contract with Chanel and went to work under the tutelage of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld. She quickly gained attention in the fashion world when she closed Lagerfeld's haute couture show in 1989. "Everything people thought was weird about me before", Kimora told People Weekly, "was now good".

In 2004, Russell Simmons sold Phat Farm to Kellwood Company for $140 million. When Russell stepped down as CEO of Phat Fashions LLC in September 2007, Kimora—who was already Creative Director of Baby Phat (which was a branch off Phat Farm Industries)—was promoted by Kellwood to President and Creative Director of Phat Fashions. It was her goal to fashion Baby Phat, launched in 1999, into an "aspirational lifestyle brand"Her couture line, KLS, launched in Fall 2007.

A self-help book written by Kimora, Fabulosity: What It Is and How to Get It, was published by HarperEntertainment in February 2006. The book is set to function as a 'lifestyle manual' on everything from spirituality and finances to fashion and beauty. She has also launched five perfumes for women: Goddess, Golden Goddess, Seductive Goddess, Baby Phat Fabulosity, Love me, and the last fragrance she put out from her time with Baby Phat, Dare Me.

On September 1, 2010, Simmons parted ways with Baby Phat and its management company, Kellwood.The details as to why Kimora was removed as Creative Director haven't been very clear; some blog sites are claiming that it was because Kimora was spending too much money on company pursuits and giving far too much pay to herself and her children.Since the split, Kimora plans to launch her KLS collection and Kouture by Kimora Brands. She also has an exclusive brand coming to Macy's that will offer stylish clothes for under $40.

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