Aspire with Emma Grede: “Kimora Lee - They Called Me a B*tch. I Built an Empire Anyway”

Podcast: Aspire with Emma Grede
Host: Emma Grede
Guest: Kimora Lee Simmons
Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: ~72 min (Content begins at 03:10)

Episode Overview

This episode of Aspire with Emma Grede features a deep, blunt, and unapologetic conversation with Kimora Lee Simmons, iconic model, entrepreneur, and the founder of Baby Phat. Emma and Kimora dive into what it actually takes to build something and keep it, exploring the realities of being a woman of color in fashion and business, the struggle for a seat at the table, learning from mistakes, the importance of owning your narrative, and the lessons that have shaped Kimora’s decades-long career and personal life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking Barriers and “Firsts”

Timestamps: [03:48]–[06:21]

• Kimora reflects on being one of the first women of color on Paris runways and running a major business, noting she didn’t realize the impact as it was happening.
• “I did not know that at the time. I thought I was just a busy little bee doing what I do... Today I think of some of these moments as iconic.” — Kimora [04:16]
• Family has become her primary motivation, a constant amid business ups and downs.

2. Regrets, Double Standards, and Fighting for Agency

Timestamps: [06:22]–[09:04]

• Kimora candidly admits to having “tons of regrets” and details the gendered double standards she faced.
• “I wished it was a different environment, that I could… have my own way or do things myself.” — Kimora [07:13]
• She reflects on the challenge of fighting for agency without being labeled as difficult, a label men never received.

3. Evolving Identity and Maternal Instinct

Timestamps: [09:04]–[11:50]

• Kimora discusses her recent decision to drop the Simmons name as a closing of a chapter, stepping into the unknown but embracing her evolving role.
• She’s a maternal figure not just to her biological kids but to many others, creating a nurturing community and home.

4. Origins: Navigating Identity and Early Modeling

Timestamps: [11:50]–[16:11]

• Raised in St. Louis by a single Asian mother, Kimora was different—mixed heritage, tall, and unique.
• Initiated into modeling by her mother, she was first exposed to finishing school before being scouted.
• Early experiences of not fitting in (“You’re not quite black, you’re not quite white, you’re definitely not Asian enough”) gave her thick skin for the fashion industry.

5. Early Fashion Career: Chanel and Power Dynamics

Timestamps: [16:11]–[24:26]

• At 13, Kimora began working with Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, not fully realizing the magnitude at that age.
• “If it doesn't fit you, I didn't make it for you. But this is what I grew up with.” — Kimora, quoting Karl Lagerfeld [22:34]
• The fashion world taught her about hierarchy, confidence, and the critical importance of being prepared for change.

6. Business Lessons and the Birth of Baby Phat

Timestamps: [24:26]–[36:09]

• Baby Phat emerged from Kimora recognizing a gap in the market—clothes that celebrated, not diminished, women of color and curves.
• “Everything started to become a little sexier… These were women that were women of color that were not high fashion. Yes, and it was streetwear, but with a flair.” — Kimora [29:47]
• Honestly discusses her role as creative driver but being given the smallest ownership stake, as business conversations happened without her: “I missed all of the preliminary conversations… I wasn't privy to the fact that these businesses took place.” — Kimora [32:57]

7. Taking Back Her Legacy

Timestamps: [36:09]–[45:44]

• Selling Baby Phat left Kimora feeling sidelined, her contribution undervalued—her ex-husband and male partners received the lion’s share.
• She details how she eventually bought Baby Phat back after it changed hands multiple times, emphasizing the value of protecting brand DNA.
• “Usually when you want your brand back, it’s a little bit tricky… you really do build these things up to let them go. Right? It’s like letting your child go in the world.” — Kimora [44:31]

8. Motherhood, Mentorship, and Generational Change

Timestamps: [45:44]–[49:59]

• Actively mentors her children in business; they face their own forms of industry bias but benefit from her experiences and advice.
• Discusses the #MeToo movement and its wide-reaching, overdue impact on both the entertainment and fashion industries.
• “It wiped out so many people that we had, so many guys of color, so many black people, a whole industry… But so many people do.” — Kimora [49:23]

9. Money, Lessons, and Power Dynamics

Timestamps: [56:09]–[63:12]

• Kimora admits she didn’t make what she deserved early on but is now “better off than almost all of those people now, exponentially” because of prudent investing and learning from hard experiences.
• Illustrates hard-learned legal lessons about prenuptial agreements and business contracts; tells a story of getting legal advice from Ivana Trump after being blindsided.
• “Read the fine print. No one’s going to do it for you and what you think that you deserve… it comes down to the black and white of it.” — Kimora [42:07]

10. Reputation, Resilience, and Growth

Timestamps: [63:12]–[66:32]

• On being labeled “a bitch” for standing up for herself, Kimora says: “Every single time… I was a bitch. I was impossible. Women don’t do that. You are costing too much. Why would you do this? But I learned it from them.”
• Advocates for transparency between women and the importance of helping each other avoid the pitfalls she fell into.

11. What Success Means Now

Timestamps: [65:19]–[66:32]

• Success = impact: “When you hear of other people that have taken your tales and your journey and have made a better life for themself, I think that’s a good way to measure success.”

12. What She Aspires To Now

Timestamps: [66:32]–[68:41]

• Now aspires to “have peace, happiness… and stillness,” and to give back, leave a legacy, and encourage others—especially from immigrant or marginalized backgrounds—not to let anyone rewrite their story.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Regrets:
  “I have tons and tons of regrets, but those are my life… But you can’t say like, oh, I wish I didn’t have these partners. I wish I didn’t have that man… You don’t always get it that way, but you think of it in a sense like it could have been. Could it have been different.” — Kimora [06:42]

• On Ownership:
  “Did you own enough of the business, given your contribution?”
  “No. No, definitely not. And that was one of those things that I learned and that’s, you know, you live and you learn.” — [32:05]

• On Gendered Double Standards:
  “Every single time that I did something that someone taught me, I was a bitch… But I learned it from them. Them meaning the men, them meaning the partner…” — Kimora [61:40]

• On Resilience:
  “If you asked me to marry you right now, Emma, I would say yes… I try and I believe in it. And then sometimes things come up and it's okay. Don't be afraid to restart. Don't be afraid. …Know what you're gonna tolerate.” — Kimora [63:23]

• On Defining Success:
  “I think it is when other people come up to me and say, you've made a difference in my life…” — Kimora [65:24]

• On Legacy:
  “The fact that you can make something out of nothing. Remember that and remember this place… Don’t let somebody else rewrite your history.” — Kimora [66:36]

Rapid Fire Insights

[68:41]–[71:05]

• Morning Routine: Water for blood flow, then unfortunately phone [68:45].
• Night Routine: Reflect, like a prayer [68:56].
• Business Advice She Ignored: “You should do that, it's going to make you a lot of money.” She never regretted sticking to her values [69:20].
• Wildest day in one word: “Fucked” — for good and bad [69:54].
• Books that Changed Her Life:
  • “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle
  • “Don’t Believe Everything You Think”

Episode Takeaways

• Fight for Your Seat: Don’t assume your value will be recognized—demand it and know your worth.
• Read Contracts: Legal literacy is a must, especially for women and marginalized founders.
• Invest in Yourself: Build, save, invest—don’t wait for others to secure your future.
• Support Other Women: Transparency and community can break cycles of inequality.
• Your Mistakes Don’t Define You: It’s the decisions you make after that shape your path.
• Aspire to Growth and Peace: Success is about impact, peace, and the legacy you leave behind.

This episode is essential listening for women entrepreneurs, creatives, and anyone fighting for their rightful seat at the table. Kimora’s blunt storytelling and actionable lessons are a roadmap for surviving and thriving despite adversity and double standards.