Tyra and Kimora Lee on Forbe's Savviest Celebrity Businesswomen List

Tyra Banks

Kimora with daughters, Ming and Aoki


Forbes Magazine compiled a list of ten female celebrities who have done an amazing job of handling their business. These women capitalized by marketing themselves as a brand and making dynamic corporate deals. Best friends, Kimora and Tyra were the only sistas who made the list this year.

Tyra Banks has morphed from supermodel to mogul with an estimated $18 million/year earnings. Her appropriately named Bankable Productions has been just that. Banks is the producer of two highly rated TV shows: a daytime talk show and the reality hit America’s Next Top Model. In October, Banks signed a multiyear deal with Warner Brothers to create and produce prime-time TV shows, both scripted and reality-based, as well as feature films, and a direct-to-DVD series based on the best-selling Clique series of books for teens. Expect Banks’ estimated $18 million a year earnings to keep pace with her output.

Kimora Lee Simmons has proven she's a dealmaker all on her own. When Kimora's ex-husband Russell stepped down in September as head of Phat Fashions, Kimora stepped up and took over creative duties for the men's, women's and children's lines, sold in over 3000 outlets worldwide. This summer her reality show Life in the Fab Lane debuted on E! Entertainment and Style, becoming the highest rated show on Style with the female 18-34 demographic. Don't forget about KLS Collection, her line of women's clothes, makeup and fragrances, as well as the Simmons Collection, jewelry sold through Zales and Kay Jewelers. Simmons pockets about $10 million a year from her various business interests.