What is Kimora Lee Simmons’ Net Worth?
Kimora Lee Simmons is an American model, author, and fashion entrepreneur. She is worth $200 million and gained initial fame as the wife of Hip Hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The couple divorced in 2009.
Kimora Lee Simmons’ Early Career
Kimora Lee Simmons, born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1975, is of African American, Korean and Japanese heritage. At the age of eleven, her mother enrolled her in a modeling class to help her overcome teasing she faced for her height. She signed with Chanel and was mentored by legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld, who called her the “Face of the 21st Century” and advocated for more diversity in fashion. Simmons went on to model for numerous high-fashion brands such as Fendi, Valentino, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Kimora Lee Simmons’ Ventures
In 1998, Russell Simmons created Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons, a women’s brand held under Phat Fashions. Kimora became Baby Phat’s designer and was later appointed as President and Creative Director. The brand had gross revenue earnings of $30 million in 2001 and combined profits of $265 million in 2002. Kellwood Company acquired Phat Fashions in 2004, but Kimora stayed on as President and Creative Director, expanding the brand into various products. She left the company in 2010 but retained ownership of licensing rights for her fragrance and cosmetics collections.
Kimora also partnered with Simmons Jewelry Company and Sanrio Ltd. to launch “Kimora Lee Simmons for Hello Kitty” line, Sephora and Macy’s for KLS Cosmetics, and Macy’s for KLS fashion collection. She also entered the luxury market with KIMORA LEE SIMMONS high fashion collection, distributed through Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor, and Farfetch.
In 2011, Kimora partnered with Makari deSuisse to launch an anti-aging skincare line and served as President and Creative Director for JustFab from 2012 to 2015.
Kimora Lee Simmons’ Career Highlights
Kimora Lee Simmons started her television hosting career in 1998 with “One World Music Beat” and later hosted the talk show “Life and Style” in 2004. She also appeared on her own E! show “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane” for 7 seasons, as well as “Kimora: House of Fab” on the Style Network. Kimora also served as a judge on the first season of “America’s Next Top Model.”
In addition to her television work, Kimora has authored a book titled “Fabulosity: What It Is and How to Get It” and has made music video appearances for popular artists like Ginuwine, Usher, and Jay-Z. She also produced the Broadway show “Def Poetry Jam,” which earned her a Tony Award for a Special Theatrical Event in 2003.
Kimora Lee Simmons’ Marriages and Children
Kimora Lee Simmons married Russell Simmons in 1998, and they have two daughters together, Ming Lee Simmons and Aoki Lee Simmons. They separated in 2006 and finalized their divorce in 2009.
Simmons began a relationship with actor Dijmon Hounsou in 2008, and they had a son, Kenzo Lee Hounsou, in 2009. The couple split in 2012.
In 2014, Simmons married Tim Leissner, a former partner at Goldman Sachs. They have a son, Wolfe Lee Leissner, born in 2015. Leissner resigned from Goldman Sachs in the wake of the 1MDB Malaysia corruption scandal and pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in 2018. He agreed to forfeit $43.7 million in income and was accused of helping scam artist Jho Low bilk Malaysia out of $4.5 billion between 2009 and 2014. Leissner and his partner earned $200 million in fees from the scheme.
Kimora Lee Simmons’ Real Estate Purchases and Sales
In 2006, Kimora Lee Simmons purchased a 13,000 square-foot mansion in Beverly Hills for $8.5 million. After buying a new and larger Beverly Hills mansion, she began renting this property for as much as $55,000 per month.
In 2014, Kimora and her husband paid $19 million for a New York City apartment.
In 2017, they purchased a 20,000 square-foot home on nearly 4-acres in Beverly Hills for $25 million. Unfortunately, the couple sold this mansion in January 2021 for $16 million, resulting in a $9 million loss.
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