Ming Lee Simmons Reveals Mom Kimora's Best Style Advice: 'Don't Be Too Naked'
Ming Lee Simmons is following in her mother’s fashionable footsteps.
The famous daughter of former model Kimora Lee Simmons Leissner attended The Daily Front Row Fashion Media Awards at the Rainbow Room in New York City on Thursday, where she revealed the best style advice her mom has ever given her.
“Don’t be too naked,” the 19-year-old (whose father is Russell Simmons) told PEOPLE on the red carpet with a laugh.
Ming made her runway debut as a young girl — as Kimora famously closed her early-2000’s Baby Phat and Baby Phat Girlz fashion shows by strutting down the catwalk with her daughters hand in hand — and has been modeling with her mom ever since.
“I grew up on the runway, walking with my mom and sister at the end of every Baby Phat show during fashion week in New York,” she told W Magazine in 2017. “I’ve been in ads with my mom and sister since I was 2 years old. I’m only now realizing how uncommon that is and I’m deeply appreciative of those experiences.”
Speaking with PEOPLE at the New York Fashion Week event, she also opened up about moving younger sister Aoki Lee Simmons into college last month.
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“I cried but she didn’t cry and she hasn’t called me back since,” Ming joked. “[I’m] very proud of her. She’s very smart.
Aoki made headlines earlier this year when she was accepted into Harvard University at just 16 years old. Kimora, 44, announced the exciting news on Instagram, sharing a video of her son Kenzo Lee reading Aoki’s admissions letter out loud.
“Yaaaayyyyy @aokileesimmons!! She’s on her way to #Harvard!! We are so proud of YOU!! Such hard work and only 16! You did it! It took years of super dedication and lots of tears! But HERE YOU ARE!!! GO GIRL!!!” Kimora captioned the clip, which shows Aoki flashing a wide smile as she takes in the news.
“Enjoy the journey! We are excited to see the great things you will do! Sorry I’m one of those SUPERLOUD MAMAS! She also got into Dartmouth, Vassar, Barnard etc! Woooo! 😍🎉❤️🙏🏼💃🏻,” Kimora added.
Kimora also shared a video from the moment Aoki learned the news on her Instagram Stories.
“She got into Harvard,” Kimora says excitedly in the first clip.
“I’m still crying and beaming,” Kimora said in another video before turning the camera to show Aoki jumping for joy. “You don’t understand this has been a ride for me. I’m two out of two kids in college. I have two boys left, I don’t know if I can do it… Quite honestly she really did it on her own merit and we’re so really proud.”
“Yoki can’t row or anything like that. There was really no hope for us in that area. I’m just so proud that you did it on your own… Praise the Lord,” Kimora said in the video, taking a jab at the college admissions scandal allegedly involving Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman.
