Remember when we covered Kimora Lee Simmons' new Dare fragrance ad in April? And we innocently wondered how she managed to make her body look like a fourteen year-old's? We suspected body doubles then and it turns out we were right.



Body doubles was only one of the rumors The New York Post revealed surrounding Kimora's not-so-ceremonious split from Kellwood Company, the parent company of Baby Phat. According to Page Six, "Kimora was going over-budget. She'd pay herself a fee to be in the ads, plus she paid her children fees to appear in ads. It costs thousands of dollars to airbrush her because she's a size 10. Plus, they spent a ton of money on body doubles. They would shoot another model in the clothes, and take Kimora's head and put it on her body."



Hmm, kind of excessive to pay you and your children a fee to model, no? Personally, I would've loved her anyway as a size 10 so that airbrushing cost wasn't needed either.



Still, the quote from a "source" sounds like an insider with more than a little animosity toward Kimora. If they were truly doing budget cuts, couldn't they have demanded that Kimora no longer pay herself and her children to model, or used other models in the ads? And with all the revenue that Baby Phat brings in, was an airbrushing cost and model fee so expensive that they had to let the Creative Director go? They didn't need to cut her off from the company especially since she's such an integral part of the brand.



I, for one, am eager to see how the brand will continue without Kimora, and for the very fabulous things I'm sure she has up her sleeve.





What's your prediction for the future of Baby Phat without Kimora? Do you think airbrushing and model fees are valid reasons for giving someone the boot? Discuss.



Kisses,



Coutura

After fourteen years, Kimora Lee Simmons is saying farewell to the Baby Phat brand. The official statement says that Simmons will split from Baby Phat's parent company, Kellwood Company, on September 1st.



Via E! Online/Global Grind:



"After 14 years of conceiving and nurturing Baby Phat, it's time for me to move on and further expand my other businesses and create a new phenomenon," Simmons says. "I adore all those who have faithfully been with me since the beginning."



Wow. Kimora's celebrity image was so purposefully integrated with the Baby Phat brand that her departure is confusing and startling---especially when you consider her recent appointment as Creative Director of Phat Fashions. AND the fact that she starred in the vast majority of the Baby Phat ads. AND the fact that she, along with several other women, got a tattoo of the Baby Phat cat logo on her body. She built that brand from the ground up, invested everything into it and was so overwhelmingly proud of its success.



I remember being one of the first (I swear!) to wear the Baby Phat shirt while a Junior in high school, and though as I grew older Baby Phat labels were replaced by Tracy Reese and Rachel Roy, I still enjoyed attending the Baby Phat show every year. For me, it was one of the highlights of Fashion Week.



When their amazing PR rep, B.J. Coleman left, the atmosphere at the shows changed a bit and last Fashion Week (Fall 2010), there wasn't a runway show for Baby Phat at all. Fast-forward seven months and Kimora Lee is stepping away from the brand. Hmmm...



What do you think about her (seemingly) sudden departure? Do you think Baby Phat will survive without Kimora as the Creative Director...and the face? Did you see this coming?

Kisses,



Coutura

Hey Glamazons!

Amber Rose. Ice-T and Coco. Letoya Luckett. Teyana Taylor. Terrance J. Wale. Fonsworth Bentley and girlfriend, Faune Chambers. Nicole Ari Parker. Boris Kudjoe. June Ambrose. Emil Wilbekin. Mikki Taylor. Ursula Stephens. Alesha Renee. All these celebrity sightings can only mean one thing: The Baby Phat show. I attended the circus last night at the Roseland Ballroom, with fellow Glamazon, Ferocia, and Chantal Borgella, the publicist for Young Mel, Jay-Z's nephew and the new rapper signed to Roc Nation that everyone's talking about. While we caught the Spring 2010 lineup from the fourth row, hundreds of Baby Phat fans and critics saw the fashions on a jumbotron in Times Square where the show aired live. Yes, people. Kimora is as glamourous as it gets.

When we arrived at 52nd and 6th, the line outside looked like Summer Jam or worse, Saturday night at BB King's in Times Square. Inside, was even more chaotic. We ran into Wale and Terrance J in the hallway, spotted Teyana Taylor giving an interview, saw fans take pictures with ANTM's Miss J and pushed our way to our seats to spot June Ambrose and Emil Wilbekin chatting in the front row. While photographer Johnny Nunez snapped photos of every celebrity you can imagine, editors and fans mingled and chatted for what seemed like forever (50 minutes to be exact) before finally settling in their seats for the show to start.

Amber Rose looking gorgeous in the front row.

Jessica White dazzles in a metallic minidress.

And the best looking couple of the year award goes to...Nicole Ari Parker and Boris Kudjoe.

Wale and Terrance J. cracked jokes with us and hung out before the show.

Teyana Taylor rocked her signature funky, fresh look on the red carpet.

Kim Kardashian and Melody Thornton were anything but basic in black.

Kim Kardashian and Kimora get chummy at the afterparty.

The diva of all divas, stylist June Ambrose, worked the red carpet. Love that she said she liked my bob!

Ice-T and Coco pose for a picture in the front row.

As we sang along to blaring tunes including Wale's "Chillin'" and Kid Cudi's "Make Her Say," we caught our first glimpse of the collection, aptly titled 'Moroccan Kiss,' which rendered a cacophony of color, eye-catching pattern and bold jewelry. Inspired by exotic Moroccan style and carefree 70’s fashion, Kimora showed a line-up of sweeping maxidresses, lace blouses and acid-wash jeans that invoked a summer romance on the beach. “It’s 70’s Morocco, but a bit modern, sexy, beachy. The colors are very steamy and romantic, smoldering,” said the newlywed mother of three. “I love color, the whole sultriness of it, the opulence of the people and the culture.”

While other designers explored muted palettes of blush and gray, Kimora presented flirty, feminine looks in the resplendent colors of the beach, from sultry coral to oceanic turquoise. In keeping with the beach theme, Kimora’s take on swimwear was surprisingly subtle this season: a one-piece suit with ruffles adorning the bustline, a basic black bikini with a sheer purple cover-up. But her foray into minimalism ended there; the accessories---oversized, snakeskin printed bags---and sequined leggings delivered the signature excessive glamour expected from Baby Phat.

Kimora walked out at the end of the show with her two daughters, Ming and Aoki Lee, by her side and her new son, Kenzo, on her arm. But the real treat was the Micheal Jackson tribute at the end, where four models walked out to "P.Y.T." in shirts that read "Baby," on the front and "Phat," on the back, bright liquid leggings and one glittery glove. Fab! The show definitely lived up to its title as the most dramatic show during Fashion Week.

What do you think of the designs?

Kisses,

Coutura

Photos: Imaxtree. Getty/Johnny Nunez. NYMag.com.