baby phat x forever 21 relaunch.

in 1999, kimora lee simmons leissner first launched her womens streetwear line that quickly became a staple in the early 2000s, especially in the hip hop community. kimora lee’s billion dollar company began to lose momentum and ultimately faded away by 2006. now in 2019 kimora lee simmons leissner collaborated to bring baby phat back with a 17-piece release. the collection features pieces such as biker shorts, logo tees, logo sweatshirts, and bodysuits with prices ranging from $15-$30.

honestly, there was no better time to bring baby phat back, we are now in a time where many fashions from the early 2000s are making its way back into the forefront of streetwear fashion like fila and champion. now, did kimora lee nail it?

my answer is... not really.

for me the initial release was a bit underwhelming. when i first heard about the relaunch i was extremely excited, it’s been over 10 years since we’ve seen anything new from baby phat, growing up i watched celebrities rock the latest baby phat jeans, logo t-shirts, sweatsuit sets, and fur hooded baby phat jackets. so to get mostly biker shorts and crop tops, it was like oh...okay. however, don’t let that distract you from the fact that i will still rock one of her logo crop tops with a pair of jeans or a pair of biker shorts!

i also think to essentially be introducing baby phat to a whole new generation (gen z), they could have went harder with their marketing and used more influencers or celebrities to bring more attention much like she did in 1999. i am happy to say that although it was the initial release there is still room for baby phat to really push the envelope and regain their position in women’s street wear. i’m excited to see what’s next!

check out some of the pieces from the collection!