Kimora Lee Simmons née Perkins May 4 1975 is an American model fashion designer venture capitalist entrepreneur TV personality philanthropist and author She was signed with the house of CHANEL as a teenager where she became a model and has walked the runway for fashion houses such as Fendi and Valentino and appeared on the covers of Vogue and Elle In 1999 she launched the global lifestyle brand Baby Phat to huge success around the world Outside of fashion and modeling she received a Tony award in 2003 for her work as a producer on Def Poetry Jam on Broadway In 2007 she alongside her family ventured into reality television and starred in Kimora Life in the Fab Lane on E Network which aired 4 seasons She was married to record executive Russell Simmons from 1998 to 2009 they have 2 daughters Ming and Aoki She dated actor Djimon Hounsou from 2007 to 2012 they have a son Kenzo She married investment banker Tim Leissner in 2015 they have a biological son Wolf and adopted a son Gary