Following her marriage to Russell Simmons In 1998,
Kimora Lee Simmons was presented with a prototype of a women's T-shirt from Phat Farm. Simmons was disappointed with the sample, later describing it as a "very athletic and basic, scaled-down version of what a guy would wear." Drawing on her experience as a fashion model, Simmons decided to step into the role of designer and creative director to create a collection that she thought better represented what women would actually want to wear, and in 1999 Baby Phat By Kimora Lee Simmons launched. Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons began with low-rise jeans and tops adorned with a rhinestone curved cat logo inspired by her pet Siamese cat, Max. Simmons later said she created the collection because "women — especially women of color — had no voice in the streetwear industry. It's in our DNA; this brand is created for women, by women." Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons's first solo show took place during
New York Fashion Week in 2000. The show was streamed live from its venue at
Radio City Music Hall to the
Jumbrotron in
Times Square. Like Phat Farm before it, Baby Phat candidly celebrated black culture, resulting in its pigeonhole as an "urban" brand by fashion's elite. Baby Phat circumvented the fashion industry's traditional paths to commercial viability by enlisting the help of well-known hip-hop artists to market directly to its consumer base. Through this
marketing strategy and by way of its symbiosis with hip-hop culture, Baby Phat rose meteorically in the pop culture consciousness. In 2000, Kimora Lee Simmons assumed the role of President and Creative Director of Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons. Under her direction, Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons expanded into a comprehensive lifestyle brand that encompassed denim, accessories, jewelry, footwear, swimwear, lingerie and fragrance. By 2001, two years after its launch, Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons reported gross revenue of $30 million - a mark that took Phat Farm six years to reach. By 2002, revenue had increased from $30 million annually to $265 million, resulting in a billion-dollar valuation of the company. Revenue for the following year increased by an additional 30 percent. By 2003, Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons was the most profitable of Phat Fashions's four labels. In 2004, American apparel manufacturer, The
Kellwood Company announced its plans to acquire Baby Phat along with parent company, Phat Fashions. Kellwood retained Simmons as president and Creative Director of Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons following their acquisition of the brand. Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons had several notable brand partnerships during this period. These included a partnership with
Visa to produce a Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons branded prepaid Rush Visa card. In 2004, Baby Phat partnered with
Motorola to create the Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons i833 mobile phone, which sold exclusively at
Bloomingdale's. That same year, Baby Phat partnered with Vida Shoes International to create a line of footwear, which included stilettos, wedges, boots, and toddler shoes. In 2004, Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons partnered with
Coty Inc to launch Baby Phat Goddess. The fragrance was carried at department stores nationwide, including
Macy's. Baby Phat Goddess was later joined by five other fragrances: Goddess, Golden Goddess, Seductive Goddess, Fabulosity, Luv Me, and Dare Me. In 2006, Simmons was promoted to president of Baby Phat's parent company, Phat Fashions. Later that year, Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons created a 200-piece lingerie collection that was carried at upmarket department stores. Simmons's contract with The Kellwood Company ended in 2010. At the same time, Kellwood sold Phat Fashions to
Sun Capital Partners, and Simmons declined to renew her position with the company's new owners. Upon her exit from Phat Fashions, however, Simmons retained ownership of all licensing rights to her fragrance and cosmetics collection. On
International Women's Day, 2019, Kimora Lee Simmons announced the reacquisition of Baby Phat. The brand relaunched the following summer through a collaboration with
Forever 21. The collection featured eighteen clothing items branded with Baby Phat's signature cat logo and is reported to have sold out in 24 hours. On December 6, 2019, Baby Phat relaunched on its own and published a spring/summer 2020 campaign on its website. Simmons's daughters, Aoki and Ming Lee were instrumental in the relaunch. The 2020 relaunch also included a line of beauty products under the name Baby Phat Beauty. In 2022, a new capsule collection debuted exclusively at Macy's. The collection was available online and at fifty retail locations nationwide. Also in 2022, Baby Phat partnered with
Puma to produce a line of Baby Phat-branded athletic footwear. == Impact ==