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Baby Phat is a clothing, shoes, accessory, perfume, and lifestyle line for women and girls created in 2000. Model and entrepreneur, Kimora Lee Simmons, started helped develop the brand in 1999 and served as creative director and president till 2010. The fashion line merged hip-hop culture with high fashion under Russell Simmon's Phat Fashions LLC label. Lee is credited with bringing the brand to mainstream fashion, creating the popular fitted t-shirt and designer denim. The brand is carried in retail and department stores, including Macy's and Dillard's. The label is credited for catering urban wear towards women in a market predominately targeting men.

In 2004, Phat Fashions was sold to clothing producer Kellwood Company for $140 million, but Lee Simmons maintained control as president and creative director of Baby Phat till 2010.

History

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1999 - 2003

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Baby Phat was established under Phat Fashions LLC in 1999 as a spin-off of the urban menswear brand Phat Farm. Before being led by Lee, the Baby Phat symbol was placed on t-shirts and given as party favors to celebrities and models like Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington.[1] Simmons began to incorporate the tees into Phat Farm fashion shows to appeal to a female audience, and soon celebrities wore the t-shirts in public.[2]

Lee, displeased with the look and fit of the clothes, took it upon herself to begin redesign the clothes and style of Baby Phat.[1] Simmons named Lee president and creative director of the line in 2000, where Lee developed a more fitted t-shirt that catered towards the female body. Baby Phat would now serve as the female counterpart to the menswear brand Phat Farm.

Baby Phat entered the fashion world as one of the few urban brands for women. Phat Farm, Rocawear, and FUBU were urban brands that targeted men, and women adapted the style to their own fashions. Lee's experience in the fashion world contributed to her vision for the line - she wanted to create high fashion for an affordable price, mirroring her "fabulous" lifestyle.[1] Lee combined street style from female hip hop stars, like Lil' Kim and Mary J. Blige, with designers like her mentor Karl Lagerfeld from Chanel.[3] She also took from her Japanese background to influence the style.Soon, Baby Phat expanded past t-shirts to include a full collection and accessories.

By 2001, Baby Phat grossed $30 million dollars,[4] and in 2002 Phat Farm and Baby Phat made a combined profit of $265 million.[5] In 2003, Baby Phat's sales were up 30 percent from the previous year.[6]

ln 2003, Lee partnered with Simmons to launch Baby Phat Prepaid Rush Visa Card during Baby Phat's Merceds-Benz Fashion Week show in New York.[7] The pink card with the Baby Phat logo is modeled after the Rush Visa Card, but offers ten percent refund on online Baby Phat purchases.[7]

During the early years of Baby Phat, their fashion shows often featured a variety of celebrities and politicians. Al Sharpton, Hillary Clinton, Paris Hilton, Barbara Bush, Brittany Murphy, Tyra Banks, and Mýa are just a few of the people at the 2003 Bryant Park fashion show.[8]

2004 - 2010

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January 2004, Simmons sold Phat Fashions to Kellwood Company for $140 million. Despite the sale, Simmons remained president of Phat Fashions and Lee continued to work as creative director and president of Baby Phat.[9] Simmons sold the company to gain funding and more production sites to keep up with the new demand for Phat Fashions products. By selling the company, Simmons hoped to expand.[10] However, Lee has stated that the sale led to adjustment in the way she conducted business.[11]

In 2002, Baby Phat and Phat Farm signed a two year contract with Motorola, Inc. to launch a pink, 0.4 diamond carat cellphone. By 2004, the designer i833 phone, which included exclusive wallpaper and ringtones, was sold exclusively at Bloomingdale's.[12]

In the summer of 2004, Baby Phat partnered with Vida Shoes International Inc., a leading footwear production company, to sell stilettos, athletic shoes, and boots, marking Baby Phat's first venture into the shoe industry.[13]

Baby Phat partnered with Coty Inc. in 2005 to create a new fragrance, "Baby Phat Goddess, " which was sold to department stores like Sears and Macy's in 2005.[14]

The brand created a 200 piece lingerie line in 2006, which was available in Saks Inc. and other department stores.[15] Phat Fashions also signed a deal with Silver Goose/Kidstreet, an accessory production company, to create accessories for infants and toddlers in 2007.[16]

Simmons left Phat Fashions in 2006 to focus on other business ventures, naming Lee as president of the company.

In 2006, Phat Fashions partnered with Dan River, Inc., a manufacturer for lifestyle products, to produce bedding, bathroom accessories, and window treatments.[17] Baby Phat also expanded to the Middle East, opening stores in the Mall of Emirates, Deria City Centre, and Marina Mall.[18]

Lee starred in Style Network's first reality show, "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane." Premiering in 2007, the show later extended to E! .The series gave an insight to the life of Lee, what influenced the Baby Phat brand, and the inner workings of running the company.[19]

Lee has cited that changes came to Baby Phat when Sun Capital Partners became the primary owners of Kellwood after purchasing a majority of the company's shares in 2008.[11][20]

Lee announced via Twitter on August 2010 tthat she was leaving her position as president and creative director on September 1. Given her retweets, it can be assumed that the split with Baby Phat was not completely her decision.[21][22] She told New York Daily News that the split was "very abrupt and sudden" and "very sad."[23]

2011 - Present

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After the Lee left, the line did not show at New York Fashion Week. However, the line returned the next year and is still sold at department stores like Macy's today. The brand is still heavily associated with Lee, but does not enjoy the same notoriety and sales as in previous years.

Influence

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In terms of runway shows, Baby Phat was the first to do many things. Lee was the first designer to have a show at Radio City Music Hall in 2006.[24] Lee was also the first to live stream her show on a jumbotron in Times Squares in 2009, allowing the public access to the normally exclusive runway shows.[25] Now, most designers live stream their events or use social media to engage larger audiences.

The brand has had a major influence on merging hip hop and fashion, bringing urban wear to mainstream fashion.[26] Baby Phat specifically targeted women, one of the only urban brands to do so. Lee was also one of the few black women to be president of a billion dollar company.

Baby Phat has been shown to have a negative influence by creating tight and revealing clothing that contributes to the hyper-sexualization of women.[27]

  1. ^ a b c Group, Vibe Media (2017-03-05). Vibe. Vibe Media Group. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ 2-3, EPUB (2012-11-15). Russell Simmons. Infobase Learning. ISBN 9781438141138. {{cite book}}: |last= has numeric name (help)
  3. ^ Homan, Becky (Jul 29, 2000). "SPARKLE APLENTY". St. Louis Post. ProQuest 404021297. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  4. ^ Golus, Carrie (2012-05-01). Russell Simmons: From Def Jam to Super Rich. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 9780761388586.
  5. ^ Ph.D, Matthew Whitaker (2011-03-09). Icons of Black America: Breaking Barriers and Crossing Boundaries [3 volumes]: Breaking Barriers and Crossing Boundaries [Three Volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313376436.
  6. ^ Rozhon, Tracie (Aug 24, 2003). "Can Urban Fashion Be Def in Des Moines?". New York Times Company. ProQuest 432456648. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Entertainment Editors/Business Editors (Sep 17, 2003). "Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons Partner to Launch Baby Phat Prepaid Rush Visa Card During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week". Business Wire. ProQuest 446316688. Retrieved March 6, 2017. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Aktar, Alev (Feb 6, 2003). "FABULOUSLY PHAT We go behind the scenes with Kimora Lee Simmons during the frenzied preparations for Fashion Week FASHION FAMILY: [SPORTS FINAL Edition]". New York Daily News. ProQuest 305779730. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  9. ^ "Kellwood Company to Acquire Phat Fashions". PR Newswire. Jan 8, 2004. ProQuest 451796875. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  10. ^ Brown, Ann (March 1, 2004). "Simmons Gets $140 Million For Clothing Labels". Black Enterprise. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Kaplan, Julee. "Q & A: Kimora Lee Simmons". WWD: Women's Wear Daily; Los Angeles. ProQuest 231178554. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  12. ^ "Motorola, Baby Phat and Bloomingdale's Introduce Diamond-Accented Phone". PR Newswire. Oct 7, 2004. ProQuest 444508558. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  13. ^ "Baby Phat & Vida Shoes International Inc. Sign License to Create Women's Shoe Line". PR Newswire. Nov 30, 2004. ProQuest 451585904. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  14. ^ "Kimora Lee Simmons to celebrate the launch of her debut fragrance, Baby Phat Goddess, with a special appearance at Sears Saturday, September 24, 2005". Canada NewsWire; Ottawa. Sep 23, 2005. ProQuest 455586445. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  15. ^ Monget, Karyn (Jan 9, 2006). "Baby Phat Joins the Lingerie Scene". WWD: Women's Wear Daily; Los Angeles. ProQuest 231105744. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  16. ^ "Phat Fashions Announces Licensing Agreement With Silver Goose/Kidstreet for Phat Farm and Baby Phat Infant and Toddler Accessories". PR Newswire; New York. Mar 12, 2007. ProQuest 451026935. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  17. ^ "Kellwood Announces License Agreement with Dan River, Inc.; Phat Fashions Extends 'Lifestyle' Concept to the Home". PR Newswire; New York. June 14, 2006. ProQuest 447635854. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  18. ^ "Phat Fashions Opens Phat Farm and Baby Phat Stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi; 17 More Planned for The Middle Eastern Region". PR Newswire Association LLC. April 19, 2006. ProQuest 448516643. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  19. ^ "'Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane' Follows the High-End, High-Octane Life of Mogul, Model, Mom - Kimora Lee Simmons". PR Newswire; New York. Jun 28, 2007. ProQuest 453391611. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  20. ^ "Sun Capital Securities Buys Kellwood Co". Corporate Financing Week; London. Feb 18, 2008. ProQuest 191152327. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  21. ^ "leaving baby phat from:OfficialKimora since:2010-08-20 - Twitter Search". twitter.com. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  22. ^ "Kimora Lee Simmons is Leaving Baby Phat". NBC New York. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  23. ^ "Kimora Lee's 'very sad' over split with Baby Phat". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  24. ^ "FASHION SCOOPS: PHAT VENUE...TENNIS ANYONE?...MAKING CALVIN". WWD: Women's Wear Daily; Los Angeles. Aug 24, 2005. ProQuest 231221479. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  25. ^ "Kimora Lee Simmons Presents New Collection Live in Times Square". Business Wire; New York. Sep 10, 2009. ProQuest 443917085. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  26. ^ Rubin, Joan; Casper, Scott (2013). Boyer, Paul (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History. Oxford Encyclopedias of American History. p. 385. ISBN 978-0199764358.
  27. ^ Fleetwood, Nicole (2011). Troubling Vision: Performance, Visuality, and Blackness. University of Chicago Press. p. 160. ISBN 978-0226253039.
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