e’ve all heard the phrase jack-of-all-trades but when it comes to describing the indomitable Kimora Lee Simmons, Queen-of-all-trades is the better fit. She rules over her castle with flamboyance, style, a little hip hop and of course fabulosity. A businesswoman, mom, model, designer and author, Simmons is slowly but surely conquering the world.

As a child, Kimora may not have had an exact career in mind, but knew what she wanted from life; making sure she didn’t have to depend on anyone else and not surprisingly wanting people to know how excellent she is! The confident Kimora of today is a direct result of her childhood struggles. Growing up in the Midwest, and not being blond haired and blue eyed but too tall (she was 5’10’’ by eleven years old), super skinny and of Korean, Japanese and African American descent, made Kimora stand out from the crowd and not always in a good way. Being picked on for her looks was a regular occurrence. Those hurdles can bring a person down, but after entering modelling school, Kimora learned that being different was a good thing. And in her case, a very successful, life changing good thing.

By fourteen years of age Kimora was off to Paris to begin her modelling career, while her mother stayed behind in Missouri. Letting her gut lead the way, she thrived in a new country, managed her career and money and worked with some of the best designers in the business, including the legendary Karl Lagerfeld. Kimora soon became one of his muses and made the most of her time inside the House of Chanel. Her experience as a model, lead to her future career and success as the designer, Creative Director and President of Baby Phat. While her ex-husband Russell Simmons opened the door for her new career path, Kimora took the bull by the horns and made her own name, eventually running not just Baby Phat but all of Phat Fashions along with serving as Creative Director and President of the online retailer JustFab.

Believing if you imagine it, it will come, keeps Simmons moving forward to achieve the goals she sets for herself. Kimora could have easily been just another trophy wife, but wanted something more out of life and went after it with the flair and opulence only a Queen could.