Blog Kimora

Kimora Lee Got Russell Fired?

MediaTakeOut.com spoke with a top level executive over at Phat Farm who gave us the inside scoop on what's going on there. According to the exec, Kimora gave the company an ultimatum, either Russell goes - or she does. Tells the company insider, "Kimora is extremely valuable to this organization. So when she asked to have Russell fired, we went along with her." The insider continued, "It was sad for everyone to know that Russell, the man who founded the company, was getting pushed out. But it was in the best interest of the company. And we're sure he'll do fine in his next endeavor."

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Kimora New Phat Fashions Creative Director

Kellwood Company announced today that Kimora Lee Simmons, currently Baby Phat president and creative director, has been elevated to the new post of creative director for Phat Fashions in addition to her current responsibilities, according to Robert C. Skinner, Jr., Kellwood chairman, president and chief executive officer.

"Kimora's ability to create the Baby Phat brand universe from a simple tee shirt on the runway over 10 years ago and turn it into a multi-million dollar global business today -- is truly an amazing feat in today's mercurial fashion world," said Skinner. "We believe her innate sense of style, extensive fashion background, and her gift to mesh unique trends that resonate with her core audience is readily transferable to the men's Phat business. She will have the oversight of the creative direction for both the Baby Phat and Phat Farm family of brands. Her business savvy and understanding of the Phat Fashions' brands and consumer following are very valuable to the company as we continue to build the aura of Phat worldwide," added Skinner.

Kimora was Russell Simmons' business partner for many years and she has a keen understanding of the Phat legacy. "I look forward to interpreting the Phat essence for today's man as well as the Baby Phat woman," commented Kimora Lee Simmons. "This is a natural extension for me. Our consumer -- man, woman, or child -- wants to be immersed in the aspirational Phat lifestyle and it's my role to assure them that every product they touch is authentic to the Phat philosophy and creative vision."

Yesterday in a separate announcement, the company said Russell Simmons had left Phat Fashions to focus on his other business interests.

Russell Simmons Steps Down from Phat Fashions

Russell Simmons announced this was the right time for him to step down as CEO of Phat Fashions in order to pursue his other varied interests. Simmons sold Phat Fashions and all of its brands and licenses to Kellwood in 2004. Following the sale, Simmons has held the title of CEO of Phat Fashions, while also developing his own businesses in the jewelry, fragrance, personal health and entertainment industries.

"Russell Simmons is one of the true pioneers of the urban lifestyle fashion business," said Skinner. "He leaves an outstanding creative legacy at Phat Fashions, and we will continue to build on that heritage as Phat Fashions continues to break through boundaries and set the standard for innovative design and high quality sportswear."

Simmons commented, "I have enjoyed my association with Kellwood over the last three years. We have accomplished much during this short period of time -- and I leave the division and the brand in great hands. There are so many things I want to achieve, and this is the appropriate moment for me to
move on to my next business venture."

Simmons founded Phat Fashions' Phat(R) and Phat Farm(R) brands in 1992, introducing a new and original approach to urban menswear. Phat Fashions' womenswear brand Baby Phat(R) was launched in 1999. Both brands were purchased by Kellwood as part of its 2004 acquisition. Following Mr. Simmons' departure, all of Phat Fashions' brands will continue to be operated, distributed and licensed by Phat Fashions and Kellwood, except for Russell Simmons-Argyleculture and Atman, which will become his trademark properties.

Dallas Voice: Caushun Was A Hoax

In 2003, a New York-based rapper began generating serious buzz. Caushun (pronounced Caution) was a stage name taken by Jason Herndon, a gay hairstylist who once appeared on “America’s Next Top Model.” Soon reports surfaced that Russell’s now-estranged wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, was going to sign Caushun to her Baby Phat record label. Then came heaps of press: features in The Advocate, Newsweek, London Observer and The New York Times.

But the debut album, “Shock and Awe” — slated to drop during Pride Month of 2003 — never surfaced. That’s because Caushun was a hoax: a J.T. LeRoy for the hip-hop community.

Last month, Caushun’s “manager,” Ivan Matias, told Allhiphop.com that he wrote and performed all of Caushun’s material. It all began as a joke. Matias, a straight dude, called into a radio station and pretended to be a flamingly gay rhyme-spitter. He cut some demos and then recruited Herndon to play the public figure. Last year, the ruse began to unravel when Herndon began facing charges of identity theft and grand larceny.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Now the blogosphere is replete with unsubstantiated reports that Herndon and Matias are shopping a book titled “The Gay Superhead.” This tell-all apparently chronicles Caushun’s wave of publicity, and promises to expose Kimora Lee’s alleged sexual affair with a woman and Russell’s alleged sexual affair with a male record executive.

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LITFL: National Ledger Review

I never thought my guilty pleasure would be reality TV.  I’m not going to watch “The Bachelor” or “Survivor” but it turns out I’m a “reality” victim when it comes to food, fashion and renovation. So, naturally I’m going to be drawn in by Kimora Lee Simmon’s Life In The Fab Lane.

Don’t we all want it all? Maybe not like Kimora, her taste is a little two gawdy for me, but that sinful side of us would like to live a life of fame and fortune in the spotlight, be young and beautiful, invited to all the best parties and events around the world with two wonderful children to love.

On Fab Lane, Kimora lets us into her ostentatious home and life and brazenly admits to liking everything big like all six feet of her: big hair, big clothes, big house… even, she admits, her “big mouth”, which is open wide to say what she wants and get it.  Whether it’s waffles instead of a diet yogurt and fruit for breakfast to a full fur coat and dog for the Kimora Barbie, (who cares about Matel’s price structure) and the cover of Source Magazine, (only musicians are allowed on the cover), she gets it.

LITFL: LA Times Q&A

KIMORA LEE SIMMONS -- model, fashion designer and Lagerfeld muse -- has a house in L.A. and a house outside New York. She has two daughters with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" airs on the Style network on Sundays. She wrote "Fabulosity: What It Is & How to Get It."

Simmons Family Pool Party

Photos at MediaTakeOut.com

Ratings in the Fab Lane

Style Network notched its most-watched series debut ever among total viewers and key female demos with the premiere of "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" at 8 p.m. Sunday. The unscripted series, starring Kimora Lee Simmons, averaged 335,000 total viewers, more than doubling Style's primetime average for the third quarter to date, and pulled in a 0.6 rating in the female demos of 18-34 and 18-49.

Hollywood Reporter Aug. 8, 2007

Six Degrees of Kimora

How is Kimora Lee Simmons connected to Lindsay Lohan? AOL's Black Voices blog:

As far fetched as it sounds, the fashion and merchandising empress (also known as hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons' babies' momma) has extended ties to the beleaguered media sensation -- who soon wont be able to rent a movie with the schlock she's producing at the box-office.

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New York Post on LITFL

QUEEN BEE KIMORA LEE SIMMONS JOINS SUMMER DIVAS WITH REALITY SERIES

If you've just barely recovered from the enduring drama queen Paula Abdul on "Hey, Paula" and icy narcissist of Victoria Beckham on "Coming To America," you may want to call your primary care physician or spiritual advisor to get through the rest of the summer: Kimora Lee Simmons has her own reality show.

On "Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane," which premieres Sunday night at 8 p.m. on the Style Network, the former model comes and Baby Phat business mogulette puts a cherry on the top of wretched excess.

See the jewels. See the cars. See the mansion in Saddle River, New Jersey. And watch Simmons browbeating her numbed staff with her "It's All About Me" personality.

During the first episode, she tells her VP of branding, "I'm having a really bad day. I'm trying to diet. I can't find the proper pill. The granola's not cutting it. I'm hungry. I don't know what to eat. I'm irritated. I'd be much happier fat. I feel very Anna Nicole Smith right now, rest in peace her beautiful soul. She likes pink like I like pink. But I'm just not having a good day. I'm hot, probably because I don't eat. I had my period last week. I'm just a little flustered, okay?"

This confessional comes from a 32-year-old mother of two who runs a multi-million-dollar clothing and accessories empire. Given Simmons' proven ability to get flustered at the drop of a hat pin

(she launches into a tirade when the housekeeping staff moved her teddy bear from the master bedroom fireplace mantel to an armchair), you have to wonder how she negotiates her way out of bed.

Simmons has been famous since the age of 14, when she was handpicked by Karl Lagerfeld to model for Chanel. Her exotic, biracial looks (her mother is Japanese/Korean and her father is black), as well as her six-foot frame made her a stand-out in any crowd. Her 1998 marriage to hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, who fathered her two children (the two are now separated), only added to the intrigue.

But if this is fabulous, you may feel a lot better about ordinary.