If you spent any time watching TV in 2007, you probably remember the high-pitched "Helloooo" and the sight of a six-foot-tall woman walking through a marble-clad foyer with two tiny, impeccably dressed girls in tow. That was Kimora Lee Simmons. She wasn’t just a model; she was a mogul before the word became a LinkedIn cliché.
When people talk about a Kimora Lee Simmons show, they usually mean Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane. It was a chaotic, glitter-soaked fever dream that somehow made running a global fashion empire like Baby Phat look both impossible and effortless. But it’s been years. A lot has changed since we saw a toddler Ming Lee critique a runway walk.
Honestly, the landscape of reality TV owes a massive debt to her. Long before the Kardashians were building billion-dollar shapewear brands, Kimora was showing us the actual "work" part of being a boss. She wasn't just sitting in a boardroom; she was yelling at a printer because the leopard print was three shades too orange. It was real. Kinda.
The Evolution of the Fab Lane
We have to go back to 2007. Life in the Fab Lane premiered on the Style Network, a channel that basically lived on the aesthetic of "aspiration." For four seasons, we watched Kimora manage her divorce from Russell Simmons, date Djimon Hounsou, and give birth to her son, Kenzo.
It wasn't just about the clothes. It was about the personality. Kimora coined the term "Fabulosity," which she defined as a state of mind rather than just a bank account balance.
Then came Kimora: House of Fab in 2013.
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This one was different. It shifted the focus away from her home life in Saddle River, New Jersey, and plopped us right into the offices of JustFab. If you missed this one, you aren’t alone. It only lasted one season. It felt more like a workplace comedy than a lifestyle docu-series, focusing on the PR team and the designers trying to keep up with Kimora’s 100-mile-per-hour brain.
Why House of Fab Didn't Stick the Landing
- The Vibe Shift: It moved from a family-focused show to a corporate one.
- The Network: Style Network was rebranded as Esquire Network shortly after, leaving the show in a bit of a limbo.
- The Absence of Kids: Let’s be real—Ming and Aoki were the secret stars. Without them, it felt like a job. And nobody wants to watch a job for fun.
The Big 2025 Comeback: Back in the Fab Lane
Fast forward to right now. Kimora is 50. She’s a mother of five now (plus a "bonus son," Jayden). And she’s back on E! with a brand new series called Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane.
If you haven’t tuned in yet, it’s a trip. Seeing Ming and Aoki as fully grown women—Aoki is a Harvard grad and Ming is basically her mother’s twin—is the ultimate "I feel old" moment. The new show, which premiered in December 2025, isn't just a nostalgia trip. It deals with some heavy stuff, including Kimora navigating life as a single mother without much involvement from the fathers of her children.
She’s also back at the helm of Baby Phat. After reacquiring the brand in 2019, the show chronicles the struggle of making a Y2K brand relevant to Gen Z. It’s not as easy as just putting a cat on a tracksuit anymore.
What Most People Get Wrong About Kimora's TV Legacy
People often think Kimora was just a "diva." That’s a lazy take. If you actually watch the old episodes of a Kimora Lee Simmons show, you see a woman who was one of the first women of color to preside over a stable of major fashion brands.
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She was doing the "mom-preneur" thing before it was a hashtag.
She also wasn't afraid to look messy. In one famous episode of Life in the Fab Lane, she’s seen in an emotional eating spiral, calling for help while surrounded by snacks. It was a rare moment of vulnerability in an era where reality stars usually tried to look perfect.
The Cultural Impact
We don't get The Rachel Zoe Project or Selling Sunset without Kimora. She proved that the "office" could be a setting for high-stakes drama that people actually cared about. She also pioneered the "family as a brand" model. Ming and Aoki weren't just background characters; they were the face of the junior line, and we saw the literal labor that went into those campaigns.
How to Watch the Kimora Lee Simmons Show Today
If you’re looking to binge-watch, the history is a bit fragmented across streaming services.
- Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane (2025-2026): Currently airing on E! and streaming on Peacock. This is the current "chapter two" of her life.
- Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane: You can find old seasons on Hayu or for purchase on Amazon Prime. It’s worth it just for the 2000s fashion nostalgia.
- Kimora: House of Fab: This is the hardest to find, but it occasionally pops up on Apple TV for purchase.
Moving Forward with Your Own "Fabulosity"
If watching Kimora has taught us anything over the last two decades, it’s that reinvention is mandatory. You can’t stay the 22-year-old Chanel bride forever. You have to evolve into the mother, the investor, and the veteran.
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If you want to apply some of that Kimora energy to your own life, start with these steps:
- Reclaim your assets: Just like Kimora bought back Baby Phat, look at what you’ve "given away" in your career or personal life and see if it's time to take it back.
- Vulnerability is a strength: The most popular episodes of her shows were always the ones where she was the most human. Don't be afraid to show the "un-fabulous" parts of the process.
- Build a legacy, not just a job: Include the people you love in your journey. Kimora’s kids are her biggest advocates because they were part of the building process from day one.
The Fab Lane might be a little more crowded now, but there’s still only one Queen of Fabulosity. Whether you’re watching for the shoes or the business advice, Kimora Lee Simmons remains the blueprint for the modern fashion reality star.
Check your local listings for the latest episodes of Back in the Fab Lane to see how the empire is holding up in 2026.
Practical Next Steps:
- Stream the premiere of Back in the Fab Lane on Peacock to see the update on Ming and Aoki's careers.
- Follow Kimora’s official Instagram for real-time updates on Baby Phat drops, which often coincide with show plotlines.
- Revisit the original 2007 pilot to see just how much the "reality TV" format has evolved since the early days of the Style Network.