Baby Phat MUST Be Destroyed

It looks as though Sunday night's episode of Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane will address the fact that Kimora is no longer at Baby Phat/Phat Fashions. If the whole episode is anything like the preview (see the video below), it is sure to be a tear jerker. And, let me say, that as I watched the clip, which showed Kimora and Sandra speaking after a phone call related to the departure, something really struck me. Sandra appears to not only be a dedicated member of Kimora's staff, but a genuine friend. She looked just as heartbroken about the fact that Kimora was upset, as she was about why Kimora was upset. That was nice to see, because I'm sure there were many people who were and still are happy about what happened. So, Sandra rocks.

It's just all so terrible to me. Here we are going in to SIX MONTHS since the dirty deed was done and Kellwood Company (owners of Baby Phat/Phat Fashions since 2004 I believe) has not offered a single reason for Kimora's untimely dismissal from the brand that she built and nurtured from the ground up. They've taken over the brand's Twitter account and are perpetrating as though the tweets are coming from Kimora, or someone on her team, and never have the decency to even inform people who message them that she isn't there. It's just disgusting!

Kellwood thinks that Baby Phat's customer base, pre their dismissal of Kimora, is made up of fools and morons. They have to or they would have handled this differently. Baby Phat started out as a brand geared primarily towards urban buyers, but soon grew into a behemoth, with customers spanning the globe and from all walks of life. All of it in great part due to Kimora's business savvy. Kellwood, and their puppeteers Sun Capital, wouldn't have purchased Baby Phat/Phat Fashions if they didn't think it was worth it. They bought it because they knew it was a money-maker. It's time out for that shit. No respect? No dollars. Don't buy any Baby Phat/Phat Farm clothing items. We have to show them that not only do they not get to disrespect Kimora, they don't get to disrespect us! WE all deserved to be told this news properly, and you certainly don't keep taking my money under the guise that you are somebody else and think I'm not going to be mad as hell.

I got lots more I want to unload in this post, but I'm going to save it for tomorrow after the episode is done. Watch the clip below and don't miss a second of tomorrow night's episode of Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane at 9pm Eastern on the Style Network. It'll start airing on E! (channel) soon, so if you don't have Style, you should be able to catch it there shortly.

I do hope that you all will join me and the countless others who have decided to boycott Baby Phat. It's going to take a while for us to break this brand. Kimora didn't build it overnight and we aren't going to dismantle it overnight, which speaks to just how deeply she'd penetrated the market! The smart bitch! :) And, while it's tough to have to tell people that she isn't there any longer, and why, and "comfort" them in their anguish and disgust, it must continue. I told you jerks that I wasn't going anywhere and I'm not. Scratch that....WE are not going anywhere, and it's just a matter of time before we break you. You might not have made an announcement that Kimora isn't there any longer, but you damn sure will have to make an announcement, to somebody, soon about the fact that the brand is DONE! --Sugar

Kimora: Bumrushing the Airwaves

Alright, I'm a huge fan of Kimora Lee Simmons, all day, but this blog is really not supposed to be a fanclub offering. It was expressly started to stick it to "the man"...which we have all come to know and hate by their government name, Kellwood Company. But, I think this media satellite tour that KLS is on serves as another form of sticking it to "the man", so check out a couple of Kimora's latest television appearances below, including George Lopez's, Lopez Tonight, and a visit to CBS's The Talk.

Remember, do not buy any Baby Phat clothing items. Nothing. They have disrespected not only Kimora, for the cowardly way that they dismissed her with nary a public announcement or proper sendoff, but they have also disrespected us, the customer and fan base. They know that most Baby Phat/Phat Farm customers are not only loyal to the brand, but are also fiercely loyal to Kimora. Their silence about the fact that the woman who truly made the brand what it is, is no longer there, is disgusting to say the least and they are counting on us not knowing and just continuing to buy.

Kellwood's failure to make a public announcement and send Kimora off with a proper farewell shows their lack of respect for customers who spend hundreds of millions of dollars on Baby Phat and Phat Farm clothing items annually. I don't care how much you like a particular pair of jeans or a top or a hat, whatever, from them. Do.Not.Buy.It. There are other brands that are more than willing to take your money and show that they respect the strength of your buying power. No respect? No dollars.

And, don't forget to watch Kimora's Life in the Fab Lane tonight (every Sunday) at 9pm on the Style Network! Looks like we'll be getting further insight into the Baby Phat breakdown. Disgusts me. --Sugar

Lopez Tonight

The Talk

R.I.P. Meg

I was checking stats for this blog today when I saw that in one of the searches that led someone to the site, the words "obituary" were used along with Meg Wasley's name. Meg was one of the little girls granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to be a model for a day. Her wish was granted with an invitation to Aoki Lee Simmons's 8th birthday party, which had a fashion show theme, complete with an opportunity for Meg and the other little divas to walk the runway after getting some tips from Kimora on how to "work" it. As fate would have it, the party and fashion show were featured on this past Sunday's season premiere episode of Kimora's Life in the Fab Lane on the Style Network.

When I saw the keyword terms that led some visitors to the blog I hoped against hope that she hadn't passed away, but I had a feeling that she had, considering the fact that she was granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They usually deal with children who are suffering from life threatening illnesses--many of whom are not doing so well health-wise.

So, I did a search and there it was...a funeral home's website with a memorial page set up just for her. She passed away Monday. I was crushed, but I absolutely believe that little Meg is in a better place and now, she no longer has to suffer. I hope and pray that her mom and dad find comfort in knowing that she's inspired so many of us to smile through some of our darkest moments, because she looked like she was really having a great time on Fab Lane. Kimora sent this very touching message via Twitter earlier today.:

One of my lil fab models Meg age 10 from season premiere of #LIFL has passed away! But not before 1st realizing her dream 2 be a real model! She graced our runway and our tv show and made us laugh and smile! Thanks 2 #MakeAWish for inviting me to help make her lifes wish come true! RIP Meg!! You will not be forgotten!♥ you represent true #Fabulosity! http://t.co/3A7Ju7t #fb

The reason why people were being driven to this blog after searching her name and Kimora's is because back in October, I wrote this post, AFTER Baby Phat Split, Kimora Grants Girl's Wish. The post was really more about Taal Moseley, because her hometown paper had written an article about her trip to meet Aoki, Ming and Kimora, but Meg's name was mentioned, so dozens and dozens of people have been driven here to this blog. So bittersweet...

I'm sure Meg's parents and her brother have an ache in their hearts right now that I can scarcely understand, but I will say a prayer for them tonight to find comfort. Rest in peace, Meg. --Sugar

She's BACK!

There are only a few shows that I watch regularly on television, and then only a few things I'll watch religiously in-season. Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane is one such show and Sunday, January 9th, the stars will align yet again and bring all that television goodness back into my living room when it returns! I can't wait and it'll be interesting to see how Kimora's ridiculous dismissal from Baby Phat/Phat Fashions is addressed.

AND, "sweet baby Kenzo" will make his debut on the Fab Lane! Well, he showed up at the end of the last season, fresh out the womb, but this season it looks like he's making his own push for some camera time. He is so absolutely adorable.

I'm very happy for Kimora, because I'm sure the past several months have been at least a bit jarring. I think the show is a great platform to keep fans updated on what she's working on and I think it allows for a small look at just how hard she and her team work to make it all happen.

I work for a black woman right now who is constantly catching hell even though what she's doing is changing lives and getting results. So, dealing with that and staying attuned to what's happening with Kimora only makes me that much more vigilant and determined to make sure that every single consumer who would even consider buying Baby Phat knows about this situation. It's disgusting and at the heart of it is sexism and racism.

In fact, as a black woman, especially from the South, I've always been aware of my black womanness, but never moreso than at this very moment in time. The parallels between how the woman that I work for is treated and how Kimora is treated would seem uncanny to some. But really, they aren't. Anytime a black woman dares to be attractive and fashionable and have something to say--and the drive and determination to make something happen...somebody's got a problem with her. It never fails. Never does.

So, before I go on for much too long, consider what's actually happened here with the way Kimora was dismissed from Phat Fashions by Kellwood before you buy another single damn clothing item from them. Stand on principle! There are dozens of other brands out there you can choose from, including Kimora's own still growing line! Don't allow your desire for a pair of jeans or a top cause you to spend your hard-earned cash on items from a company that considers you a mindless sheep.

That Kellwood didn't even think the customer base deserved to be formally told, by them, that Kimora wasn't going to be leading the company anymore, after all she did for that brand, is the ultimate slap to the face--ours and hers and they can kiss my ass. No respect, no dollars. Tune in to the show Sunday night at 9pm on Style Network and show Kimora some love on Twitter during and after! --Sugar

Life and that Fab Brain

I bought a Nook last week from Barnes and Noble. I hadn't read anything for leisure in forever and for the past couple of months, I've been determined to start doing so again. Before I even got the thing, I had already decided that the first ebook that I'd buy would be Fabulosity: What It Is and How to Get It by Kimora Lee Simmons. The book's been out nearly 5 years, but so what? The Bible's been out for longer than that and somewhere, at this very instant, someone's reading it for the first time ever. If a book has something valuable inside, it doesn't matter when it's first read.

I finally finished reading the book last night and yet again, I'm blown away by Kimora's insight, sense of humor and humility (alongside some seemingly unshakeable confidence). The hilarious stories and quips paired with chunks of wisdom throughout the book shatter all of the depictions of her in the media. What's even more remarkable is that the book was published nearly 5 years ago, which means most of it was probably written when Kimora was 29, 30, maybe 31 years old, yet, most of it sounds as though I were listening to the 35 year old Kimora speaking. And, you can absolutely hear her voice in the book. That's one of the things that make it such a great read.

So, in case you were too lazy to click the link at Barnes and Noble, real quick, here's what the book is about. It's a women's empowerment, soul feeding, fashion how-to, with a roadmap on how to navigate corporate America tossed in. It's awesome and the stories about her own life and how she uses the suggestions that she offers make it a truly rich experience.

It's important to note that Kimora was still firmly planted in Kellwood soil when the book was published, so she talks a lot about Baby Phat and what it took to get that company up and running and to make it so successful. Ironically, she writes in one chapter:

Putting myself in the ads was a powerful way of claiming ownership of my work. I am the image of the company because it's my lifestyle that women around the world are wearing. It's my life! So, if you get some other guy to try and go in and oversee the collection tomorrow, honey, good luck. Because what the customer is looking for is a Bentley and a fur jacket, and they're looking for Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, and that's what they get from me...

When I read that in the book, I had a damn good laugh because I'm fairly certain that Kellwood is catching absolute hell trying to get a handle on the brand since their cowardly dismissal of Kimora back in August.

Throughout the book, she talks about how, for sure, she enjoys the luxury that she's able to afford in her life, but also how she's not this brain-dead hoarder of goods, as so many have tried to portray her. She writes:

And, that's what's so funny about me. It's not about the Bentleys and stuff. You can take it all away. You can shove it up your you-know-what! Have it, take it, I don't care!

Ha! Does anybody need a translation? She continues on to talk about how she doesn't really care about how they portray her, writing:

When you're focused on the audience you care about, you have to also have the discipline not to take the input of other groups outside that audience too seriously.

That makes sense and as she mentions, that applies in so many areas of life. Only focus on those people and those things that matter and life is so much less stressful.

I could go on and on and on about this book, but you just have to take my word that it's uplifting, inspiring, hilarious and eye-opening. While I think the book was intended to be an aide to other women, I think that it does a great job of shedding light on who Kimora Lee Simmons really is, aside from the headlines. While I wish that I'd read the book before now, I'm also glad that I did since all of that bullshit with Kellwood happened. It really puts things even more into perspective about just how much of herself Kimora gave to Phat Fashions, especially towards making Baby Phat the internationally loved brand that it is.

She didn't deserve what Kellwood did to her and I'm even more convinced of that after reading the book than I was before. I won't lay off the bastards until they are done. No respect? No dollars. Check out Kimora's website, www.kls.com for ways to support her post-Baby Phat efforts and read the book! Especially if you have an eReader. Download a copy and get to readin'! --Sugar

Fans Fight Back

Attention

I don't have Dish Network, but this still isn't worth a damn. Apparently, they are planning to drop E! and Style Networks from their channel lineup as of January FIRST. This would mean that any fans of shows like Kimora's Life in the Fab Lane, of which Boycott Baby Phat is a huge fan, would be cut off from all of that television goodness.

So, a great website with a number of ways to let Dish know that you aren't having it, was launched to let "Fans Fight Back". Check it out and do it QUICKLY! --Sugar

Baby Who?

See the title of this blog post? That's what I'm aiming for in this boycott of Baby Phat--for people to utter those words in the near future when asked about Baby Phat. I want them to say, "Baby who?" As in, never heard of em. Wouldn't buy anything from them. Didn't know they existed and don't care if they do. F*ck em.

I scour Kimora Lee Simmons's Twitter timeline daily to see if she's had to yet again inform one of her supporters that she's no longer with Baby Phat so I can then send them here, breaking the news to them about why she is no longer with them. It is such a seemingly never-ending task because Kimora had soooo many supporters and most of them purchased Baby Phat not only because they appreciated the passion she put into the designs, with all women in mind, but also because she makes herself so available to them. Still, over three months since Kellwood showed her the door in such a disrespectful manner, people are still just learning about this and their reaction is always the same, "F*ck Kellwood. I'm not buying Baby Phat or Phat Farm anymore." This will continue.

As I've stated here before, it may take a year to fully spread this information, but it is a task that I am committed to. I've been extremely busy at my job so it's been tough to update this blog regularly, but I'm doing my best to stay on it via Twitter.

I've said it once and I'll say it for an 80th time, DO NOT BUY ANY BABY PHAT OR PHAT FARM CLOTHING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!! We HAVE to make them feel it or they'll think they can just keep treating not only women of color this way, but the customer base of this and other brands. It's disrespectful what Kellwood did and I'm not going to just sit back and say, ho hum. F*ck that! No respect, no dollars. Support Kimora by purchasing her fragrances, which are fabulous and will make wonderful holiday gifts and by visiting her website, http://www.kls.com/ regularly to see what's new. --Sugar