Kimora Lee Simmons’ Kids Are All Grown Up, Here’s Where They Are Now
Very few early 2000's fashion labels have survived the test of time while simultaneously crafting the culture. There's Rocawear, which, I mean, who didn't wear Rocawear? There's FUBU, who came through with the ultimate 'For Us, By Us' empowerment vibes. There's Sean John, which I still see people wearing to this day. And for the ladies, there was Baby Phat.
Woman-owned, woman-curated, and woman-championed.
Listen, say what you want, but Baby Phat was a staple in a male-dominated game and competed at a level that not many could. Baby Phat was simply revolutionary. Revolutionary in the sense where, prior to its arrival, women's streetwear were mostly created as a subsidy of male brands, often ran by...men. Kimora Lee Simmons was simply on another level with how she moved, and for over 20 years, sis has paved a lane of making women of color feel seen and heard; or women in search of a blueprint.
These days, Kimora has opted for a tamer, quieter family life since ending operations in 2011, allowing her famous daughters, Ming and Aoki Lee, to pick up the baton and rep the name. But what are each of Kimora Lee Simmons' kids up to now?
Recently, her and her famous daughters relaunched the Baby Phat brand in a 2019 partnership with Forever 21 (which sold out in 24 hours), complete with enough nostalgic bedazzled shirts and fur-hooded coats to go around. Their newest venture, Baby Phat Beauty (an extension of the brand's relaunch) served as a reintroduction into the fragrance and beauty empire she very much so previously established with products such as Golden Goddess, Seductive Goddess, Fabulosity, and KLS Cosmetics. Oh, and a portion of all proceeds from sales went directly to Stacey Abrams,Fair Fight Initiative, to help end voter suppression--a move very on-brand for Kimora Lee Simmons, and very on-brand for Kimora Lee Simmons' kids.
Additionally, here's a fun update on what these mini moguls have been up to:
Ming Lee Simmons
Ming Lee Simmons/Instagram
Ming Lee Simmons, 20, the oldest of Kimora Lee Simmons' kids, has definitely picked up her mother's pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos. Aside from the hilarious trolling that her sister Aoki throws her way, you can often find her flexing her nearly identical maternal looks for the 'gram to her 1.1 million followers. She often posts her collabs with varying brands, demanding justice for social issues, posts throwbacks of her mom and/or dad, Russell Simmons, and flaunting her top-notch smize game. And despite her age, Ming's resume runs deep as she's ventured into modeling, with brands such as Lexus, and of course, Baby Phat.
The more docile of the bunch, Ming, has decided to carry the torch of fashion designer and trend-setter, something that her mom had her hand in since she could barely walk the runway. In her last interview with Teen Vogue, Ming says:
"When we were children, the world that my mom brought us into, it wasn't a choice. We did a lot of things that not a lot of other kids were doing. I would be like, 'I can't go to this school thing because I have to go with my mom to a photo shoot.'"
(Kimora was notorious for including her daughters in her productions, whether ending a fashion show, or releasing new campaigns).
Ming is currently attending NYU, majoring in fashion and business and also considering law school to further develop her business brilliance. And alongside her sister, she sits at the head of the Baby Phat conference room table as a lead designer, jotting her ideas, adding her personal flair, and having no problem proving how incredibly prepared she is to take the family name to the next level.
"Every step and every new piece brings me back to the conclusion that this is what I want to be doing," she says.
Aoki Lee Simmons
Aoki Lee Simmons/Instagram
Aoki Lee Simmons, 18, is less into the designing aspect of Baby Phat, and more into the business operatives. She manages the budget and financials, in addition to providing her design input and balancing her economic major at Harvard University—where she was accepted at age 16—and attends with the likes of other young black and brown starlets such as Malia Obama and Yara Shahidi. She often playfully gathers Ming by the neck for the entire world to see in comedic banter of little sister teases, and like her mother and sister, Aoki also models for the brand, showing off her paternal beauty for the 'gram to her 640K followers.
Her bio reads "Mr. Vice President, I'm speaking", (a nod to Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris), where similarly, she has proven that she literally give zero f*cks about getting you together, as she recently sparked attention after she called out a classmate who called her, and other classmates, the N-word, which as you can imagine, didn't go over so well for him.
At Harvard, Aoki ran for undergraduate council, which makes sense being that she often makes completely sensible demands in politics, and holds future Presidential aspirations. #Simmons2040 Additionally, she served as a panelist of 2019's Revolt Summit, perfectly divulging her generation's perspective on hot topics. From book recommendations, to references historical characters and following quantam physics and tech news hashtags, Aoki is pretty clear that she is one of a kind.
And much like our readers, she is big on identifying, and practicing, affirmative self-care habits. She tells Vogue:
"A huge part of self-care for me is reading. I just organized my personal library. I've been collecting books my whole life, so I've had a comfort thing over novels already. I've been doing some ballet. I love to journal as well."
Needless to say, the sisters aren't just living on the ranks of their very famous family. They have positioned themselves to be business women and fearless future leaders of an entire empire as well.
Wolfe, Kenzo, & Gary
As for the fellas of Kimora Lee Simmons' kids, they are growing and flourishing alongside their sisters. Still too young to determine any future endeavors, they're growing every day and experiencing life through their family's loving lens.
Kenzo Lee Honsou, 11 (with Djimon Hounsou), Gary Leissner, 10 (with Tim Leissner), and Wolfe Lee Leissner, 5 (with Tim Leissner), all of which are on the path of being groomed to join the empire as well. In speaking about them all, Kimora says:
"The most fulfilling thing in my life is to be a parent and a mother…That's what I was made to do, I'm very good at it; that's what I do. It's my thing."
Aoki shared a beautiful family photo of each of Kimora Lee Simmons' kids earlier this year, with more photos on them often shared on each of their Instagram accounts.
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We're enjoying seeing this family grow into their own, especially being that some of us have literally watched Ming and Aoki grow up before our very eyes. So for now, the ladies are holding down their mom's vision as they continue to expand the family brand.
And we cannot wait to see what brilliance they have up their newly revived, colorfully bedazzled sleeves.
Feature image by Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock.com
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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I’m pretty sure that at least once in your life, you’ve heard the ever-so-popular Mark Twain quote that says, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Your birthday? That’s a given. However, when it comes to knowing, without hesitation, what you were put on this planet, for such a time as this, to do, did you know that only 25 percent of individuals say that they do?
Nevermind the fact that studies indicate that knowing what your purpose is will help you to live a longer and healthier life; if you don’t know what you’re here for, that can make another definition of purpose very challenging: setting goals and achieving the things that you really wish to accomplish.
Questions To Ask Yourself To Find Your Purpose
So, what do you do if you find yourself being in the majority in the sense that, even if you have a pretty good job and/or hobbies that you enjoy, deep down, you still feel like you don’t know what your purpose is? First, some quotes:
- “Find a purpose to serve, not a lifestyle to live.” (Criss Jami)
- “Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose.” (Leonardo da Vinci)
- “What am I living for and what am I dying for are the same question.” (Margaret Atwood)
And with that framework now laid, as someone who is happy to be among the 25 percent, let me share seven questions that, from my own experience, have helped to confirm to me what my own purpose is — my own “why” when it comes to me being born.
Ask yourself the following 7 questions to find your purpose:
1. What Brings You Peace?
GiphyI’ve been studying Hebrew for many years now. It’s interesting because something that my mother used to tell me is I’m violent about my peace and my healing (and yes, it’s a play on words by design). Hmph. Maybe that’s why I like the Scripture in the Bible where Christ says, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34), and then it goes on to explain certain relationships that needed to be separated for the sake of spiritual evolution and transformation.
Anyway, because I am such a fan of peace (and Hebrew culture; Christ was a Jew, after all — Matthew 27:11), I know that the Hebrew word for it is “shalom.” I also know that it also means things like wholeness, prosperity, and security and that it also speaks to walking in agreement with others (bookmark that). All of this is why I thought that there was no better question to lead this all out with than to sit and ask yourself, “What brings me peace? What makes me feel whole and secure? And what could I do to ultimately bring me prosperity without compromising my peace of mind in the process?”
That last part is a real doozy when you factor in that, reportedly, 85 percent of people hate their job. SMDH. If you take this purpose-related question literally and seriously, could that mean that close to 9 out of 10 people are NOT spending most of their waking hours fulfilling their purpose? Have mercy.
2. What Complements Your Personality?
GiphyThe word “complement” basically means something that completes you. Completion is all about “feeling whole” and “lacking nothing.” With that said, the Hebrew meaning of my name is “Mine; Belonging to Me,” which is basically what Ezekiel 16 references which is why it’s like an anchor text or mission statement for me:
“’When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,’ says the Lord God.” — Ezekiel 16:8(NKJV)
My mother said that when she was carrying me, her plans were to name me Ryan, whether I was a boy or a girl. Then, when I came out, she said that God told her to name me “Shellie” instead. When I look back over my life and how so much of it consists of covenant work — marriage, sex, and the biblical Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11 and Hebrews 4) is what I write, speak, and teach on easily 80 percent of the time — I believe her. And you know what? Pretty much all of my 30s and 40s have consisted of me doing something that is tied to those things. I’m a marriage life coach. I’m a doula. I write about sex and relationships. I used to tour with an organization that got people out of the porn industry. I used to be a teen mom director for the local chapter of a national nonprofit. The list goes on and on.
Know what else? Every single gig that I’ve had (including this one at xoNecole) has not asked me to compromise my delivery, my perspective, my qualities — my personality. I mean, even with my first two published books, the publishers came to me. It’s only been when I’ve tried to make myself fit into something that it’s been counterproductive and draining — and oftentimes, “it” wanted me to sacrifice my purpose and passion by altering my personality in order to do it. Red flag…RED FLAG.
So yeah, that’s something else that you need to factor in. Since purpose means “the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.,” what sense would it make for you to be out here trying to make stuff happen while acting like someone you’re not…while abandoning the core traits that make you…YOU?
3. What Doesn’t Feel Like (Grueling) Work?
GiphyDo I have days when I open my eyes, look up at the ceiling, and find myself on some, “I absolutely do not feel like banging on my laptop’s keyboard” or “If one more person hits me up about their problems today, chile…”? Yes. I’m human. And because a lot of my work consists of getting all up into the psyche of humanity, it can be exhausting at times. However, do I ever feel like my work is toilsome or grueling? I can honestly say that not one day in my life has that been the case.
Now, do I have moments when I am not in the best of moods? Yeah, but that’s not purpose-related; that’s because I didn’t eat right, get enough sleep, or honor the boundaries that I set so that folks don’t have me out here running on fumes. Yet when it comes to my purpose, overall, though, it excites me, I’m always doing more reading and research on it, and I feel honored that I would be given the kind of work that I do — that I was created for. It feels like a perfect fit to the point where I am still learning to become financially wiser when it comes to what I charge (especially when it comes to my coaching services) because it really is true that when you do what you adore, it oftentimes doesn’t feel like “work” at all.
That said, what do you find yourself doing, even if it’s only in your leisure time, that doesn’t feel like work at all? It doesn’t feel like work AND you know that it is benefitting you and other people at the same time in some way.
This brings me to the next question.
4. What Do You Get Complimented About Often?
GiphyIt’s kind of hilarious how “fist in the air” I am (the real ones know what I mean by that) vs. how many white clients I have. Some of them are really white, too — like evangelical white (if you know, you know, chile). If you add that I’ve never been married before (some of us use discernment to avoid being a divorce statistic; real talk), I’m pretty sure you get that many are quite skeptical…initially. That is, until we get a few sessions in, and then there are affirmations galore; no joke.
For instance, a white couple who I’ve been working with for about a year now came to Nashville for a marriage conference. The next time we met (I meet with them separately for now), the husband and wife said to me, “We couldn’t get over how many times we said, ‘Shellie has said that before.’ You really do have a gift.”
It’s another message for another time that a gift is something you naturally have while a talent tends to be an ability that you have to refine (for instance, my brother has the gift of singing while I have a talent for it) yet, I think that the fact that I also study marriage as if my life depended on it, that helps to give me some additional insight and knowledge that even a lot of married folks don’t have (because a lot of people don’t look deeply into marriage let alone marriage as a covenant) — and so, when I share what I’ve learned, compliments come.
That’s why this particular question makes the list. What is something that you do that generally comes with great ease for you that folks think you are amazing at? Another example, is my godchildren’s mom (I see you, Rissi!) recently got shouted out on this platform. People are moved by her singing all of the time, yet she underestimates how good of one she is. A part of it is due to her super beautiful level of humility; another is because…it’s her gift. It comes naturally to her, so it can be difficult for her to grasp why/how it moves so many others.
Your purpose? Whenever you discover what it truly is, you’ll be able to relate to all of what I’m saying. People will be constantly giving you props around a certain thing and you’ll be wondering why. It’s because you were created to do something in a way that no one else can — or ever will. And others recognize it…almost as if you’re moving in supernatural ways (and you just might be).
5. What Spiritually Transforms You?
GiphyAlthough I think that all of these questions are super essential, if you don’t get anything else out of this read, GET THIS: your purpose is designed to spiritually transform you…for the better. Now, does this mean that everyone who is in their purpose is spiritually maturing? Nope. You can look at the entertainment industry, for instance, and know that isn’t true. At the same time, though, if you believe in a Higher Power and you are doing something with your life that has you suffering spiritually in the process, that is a clear sign that something is out of serious alignment because your Creator wouldn’t create you to abandon your spirit just to get something accomplished. To abandon your spirit is to be distracted from fully fulfilling your purpose in life.
And while we’re here, for the record, when I say “spiritual,” I don’t mean religious (check out “What's The Difference Between Being 'Religious' And Being 'Spiritual', Anyway?”). I mean your spirit in the sense of your intellect, emotions, passions, and creativity — because all of those things help to make up your spirit. For me, whether I’m working with a married couple, helping to birth a child, or writing an article like this one, there’s not a time when I don’t walk away from the work that I’m doing not feeling like I have been stretched, I’ve had a significant ah-ha moment, or I have been changed in some significant way — that my spirit (my intellect, emotions, passions, and creativity) has not experienced all of that.
Back in the day, I had some jobs that brought home a paycheck, yet never really did any of this — and that’s a big part of how I knew that they had nothing to do with my life’s work: MY PURPOSE. See, one thing that a lot of people miss when it comes to discovering what their purpose is is you will experience life-altering exponential growth when you are living it out. If that’s not happening for you, something is…off.
6. What Can Your Mind, Body and Spirit Get on the Same Page About?
GiphyI have several different email accounts. The one that is tied to this platform, if you were to email me and I replied from my phone, you would (at the time of this article first being published) see a signature that I made up: “If your mind, body and spirit are not all in agreement…pause.”
Back when I wrote my first book, my editors wouldn’t let me say “human trinity” because they were a Christian publisher and thought that it was sacrilegious. Uh-huh (insert eye roll here). Nevermind the fact that trinity isn’t even a word that’s found in the Bible (the Godhead speaks of a holy three-ness; I John 5:8), I know what the word literally means: “a group of three” or “a state of threefold.” And, because I believe that the mind, body, and spirit are what make up each human, that’s why I call those three the “human trinity.”
Okay, so remember how I said earlier that one thing that being at peace means is walking in agreement? Another sign that you are living out your purpose is your mind, body, and spirit will all be in agreement with one another; meaning, not one part of your own trinity will feel like it has to compromise itself for you to fulfill the goals and intentions that are directly tied to your purpose.
Listen, when I’m out here doing my purpose thing, it’s when I feel the most mentally clear, the most physically energized, and the most spiritually balanced. It’s like all three parts of me fuel each other to keep going — and there is no feeling like it. It’s truly divine.
To tell you the truth, this particular point? When it comes to just about every choice you make — if your mind isn’t aligned with your body and spirit, if your body isn’t aligned with your mind and spirit, or if your spirit isn’t aligned with your mind and body, take a moment to do some meditating, praying and/or journaling why. More times than not, what you’re experiencing is a message that is encouraging you to slow down and rethink (or retrace) some of your steps. It’s a cheat code like no other.
7. Can You Break It Down in "Threes"?
GiphyLast question. Sometimes, my life coaching expands to people looking for answers about their purpose or what to do with it. When it does, something that I share is a sign that you know what your purpose is, is that you’re able to explain it in three words or three phrases. Me? I already shared mine: marriage, sex, and the Sabbath. Quick. Clear. Concise. And you know what? When you know that you know something, that is just how your answers should be. So, if you know your purpose, the answer will come quickly to you as well, and you’ll be able to articulate it in a way that is very easy for people to understand. If this is not the case, keep working on it until it is.
____
Aight y’all, I started all of this with three quotes, so I will end it the same way:
- “People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.” (Simon Sinek)
- “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” (John F. Kennedy)
- “When you walk in purpose, you collide with destiny.” (Ralph Buchanan)
Out of all of the things that you prioritize in life, short of your relationship with God, NOTHING should come before your purpose because, again, it means “the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.” So, in the midst of all of the things that are currently on your plate, if deep down, you know that you’re not sure what your purpose is yet, take this as a blaring sign that it’s time to MAKE TIME and to remain committed to discovery until you know what it is.
A wise person once said that wisdom lies in the right questions before the answers. Hopefully, these will help to get you to where you need to be: walking in your purpose. FULFILLING YOUR PURPOSE.
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Featured image by Westend61/Getty Images