Kimora Lee Simmons Bio: Children, Husband, Parents, Age, Net Worth, Height, Ethnicity, Movies, TV Shows

Biography

Kimora Lee Simmons is a renowned American fashion model, designer, and entrepreneur born on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri.

She rose to fame as a runway model for Chanel at age 14, becoming a muse for designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Simmons later transitioned into fashion entrepreneurship, launching the successful urban fashion line Baby Phat in 1999, which became a cultural phenomenon.

She is also known for her television appearances, including “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane.” A philanthropist and mother of five, Simmons has been a prominent figure in fashion and pop culture, blending bold style with business acumen.

American businesswoman and fashion designer
Kimora Lee Simmons
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Kimora Lee Perkins
Stage Name:	Kimora Lee Simmons
Born:	4 May 1975 (age 50 years old)
Place of Birth:	St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Nationality:	American
Education:	Lutheran North High School, University of Hartford
Height:	183 cm
Parents:	Joanne Perkins, Vernon Whitlock Jr.
Siblings:	N/A
Spouse:	Tim Leissner (m. 2014–2022), Russell Simmons (m. 1998–2009)
Boyfriend • Partner:	Djimon Hounsou (2007-2012)
Children:	Ming Lee Simmons, Aoki Lee Simmons, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, Wolfe Lee Leissner, Gary Lee Simmons
Occupation:	Fashion Model • Businesswoman
Net Worth:	$80 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Kimora Lee Simmons, born Kimora Lee Perkins on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri, experienced a challenging yet formative childhood that shaped her resilience and career in fashion.

Growing up in the northern suburb of Florissant, Missouri, she faced bullying at school due to her exceptional height—reaching 5’10” by age 10—and her mixed ethnic background.

This multiethnic heritage includes African-American roots on her father’s side and Japanese-Korean ancestry on her mother’s side, contributing to her unique appearance and sense of feeling “different” during her youth.

Her father, Vernon Whitlock Jr., was an African-American professional who worked as a federal marshal, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigator, bail bondsman, and barber.

Her mother, Joanne Perkins (also known as Joanne Kyoko Syng or Kyoko Perkins), is of Japanese and Korean descent; she was born in Japan, adopted by an American family during the Korean War, and immigrated to the United States as a first-generation immigrant.

To help build her daughter’s confidence amid the teasing, Joanne enrolled young Kimora in modeling classes at age 11. This decision proved pivotal, as two years later, at age 13, Kimora was discovered at a model search event in Kansas City by an agent from a Paris modeling agency, launching her into the fashion world.

Public information does not detail any siblings for Simmons, suggesting she may be an only child or that such details have remained private. Her religion is Buddhism, though she has spoken about teaching her own children tolerance and respect for differences in culture and religion, drawing from lessons from her mother.

In terms of education, Simmons attended and graduated from Lutheran North High School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Later in life, she pursued higher education, returning to school in 2017 and earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Entrepreneurial Affairs from the University of Hartford‘s Barney School of Business in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2018.

These early experiences of adversity and self-discovery laid the foundation for her successful transition from modeling to entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Career

Kimora Lee Simmons has built a powerhouse career that bridges fashion, entrepreneurship, and entertainment, transforming from a teenage model into one of the most influential figures in modern fashion.

Discovered at just 13 years old during a model search in Kansas City, Kimora signed an exclusive contract with Chanel at 14—becoming a muse to Karl Lagerfeld and one of the youngest models to ever walk for the legendary fashion house.

Standing 6 feet tall with a commanding runway presence, she became a fixture on international catwalks for luxury brands such as Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, and Valentino, defining high fashion in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Her transition from model to mogul began in 1999 when she took over Baby Phat, a women’s streetwear label originally launched as part of Phat Fashions, founded by her then-husband Russell Simmons.

As Creative Director and later President, Kimora transformed Baby Phat into a global lifestyle empire that celebrated urban glamour and female empowerment. With its iconic cat logo and signature blend of luxury and street style, the brand expanded into accessories, jewelry, fragrances, and tech collaborations, reaching over $1 billion in annual retail sales at its peak.

After leaving Phat Fashions in 2010, Kimora launched her own high-end label, KLS, offering luxury ready-to-wear collections that emphasized inclusivity, sophistication, and strength. In 2024, she relaunched Baby Phat—this time alongside her daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee Simmons, who joined as co-creative directors—marking a generational revival of one of fashion’s most iconic brands.

Outside of fashion, Kimora has left her mark on television and film, starring in and executive-producing the hit reality series Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane (2007–2011), which offered a behind-the-scenes look at her life as a designer, entrepreneur, and mother.

She has also appeared in films like Brown Sugar (2002) and Waist Deep (2006), and even served as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model. Her business ventures further extended to beauty and tech, including KLS Cosmetics and a leadership role as President and Creative Director of JustFab in 2011.

Throughout her career, Kimora Lee Simmons has embodied bold innovation, diversity, and female empowerment, blending high fashion with urban authenticity.

Beyond her professional success, she remains deeply involved in philanthropy, championing causes related to education, youth mentorship, and women’s empowerment—cementing her legacy as both a style icon and a cultural trailblazer.

Social Media

• Wikipedia: Kimora Lee Simmons
• Facebook: Official Kimora Lee Simmons
• Instagram: Kimora Lee Simmons (@kimoraleesimmons)
• IMDb: Kimora Lee Simmons

Personal Life

Kimora Lee Simmons, born on May 4, 1975, in St. Louis, Missouri, is currently 50 years old.

She stands at 6 feet 0 inches (183 cm), a trait that boosted her early modeling career. Simmons has been married twice. Her first marriage was to music mogul Russell Simmons in December 1998 on Saint Barthelemy; they separated in 2006 and divorced in January 2009 after about 11 years.

Her second marriage was to financier Tim Leissner in December 2013 (some sources say February 2014); they separated around 2020-2022, with Simmons noting their estrangement by February 2022.

Leissner’s 2018 guilty plea to bigamy, as he was still married to his previous wife, complicated their marriage. Simmons is not married and often refers to herself as a single mother.

She has five children: daughters Ming Lee Simmons (born January 21, 2000) and Aoki Lee Simmons (born August 16, 2002) with Russell Simmons; son Kenzo Lee Hounsou (born May 30, 2009) with former partner Djimon Hounsou; son Wolfe Lee Leissner (born April 2015) with Tim Leissner; and adopted son Gary Lee Simmons (born around 2009-2010, adopted in January 2020).

She frequently shares her experiences raising her blended family. Her dating history includes high-profile relationships. She met Russell Simmons in 1992 at New York Fashion Week when she was 17, marrying in 1998; they separated in 2006 due to reported infidelity, divorcing in 2009.

She dated Djimon Hounsou from March 2007 to November 2012, sharing a son. Her relationship with Tim Leissner began around 2012-2013, leading to marriage, but ended by 2022 amid his legal issues, including the 1MDB scandal, with Simmons suing him in 2023 over financial disputes.

No confirmed romantic partners have been reported since, with Simmons focusing on her family and career.

Net Worth

Kimora Lee Simmons has an estimated net worth of $80 million, according to multiple reliable sources.

This wealth stems from her trailblazing career in fashion, including her role as creative director of the iconic Baby Phat brand, which generated over $1 billion in retail sales at its peak; her eponymous luxury lines like KLS; modeling gigs with Chanel and others; reality TV shows such as Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane; and ventures in cosmetics, endorsements, and real estate.

Earlier reports from 2021 cited figures up to $200 million, potentially including broader assets or settlements from her 2009 divorce from Russell Simmons, but current valuations have stabilized around $80 million amid her ongoing brand relaunches and family-focused endeavors.