There’s a reason casting directors for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills wanted Kimora Lee Simmons: She’s gorgeous, successful, witty, and a mom we’d all love to have. The former supermodel has been through a lot since we last saw her on her previous reality series. She’s gone through two additional divorces, added four more kids, and continues to run her businesses. Despite her wealth, life is life for her, too. But she keeps her head down and does the job. Aside from us being collectively upset with her for unnecessarily inserting herself into the Khloé Kardashian/Jordyn Woods/Tristan Thompson scandal, she remains unproblematic and fabulous.
The new iteration of her classic reality series is now airing on E! and Peacock, and follows the beauty and fashion mogul as she balances life as a mother of six, juggles multiple businesses as a serial entrepreneur and prioritizes self-care as a single mother and divorcée. No, she’s not dating, but there’s enough to keep us entertained. Unlike the drink-tossing moments we’re still getting from Love & Hip Hop, the redundant storylines across Real Housewives franchises, or the entitled, spoiled adults we’re seeing the Fletchers deal with on Love & Marriage: Huntsville, Kimora: Back in the Fab Lane is a fresh take on reality television and good, clean family fun.
Her life is just as fabulous as we remember
One thing Kimora has always given is fabulosity — and with pride. She doesn’t dim her light, or her wealth, regardless of how it comes off. Kimora was living the good life long before we even knew what a Real Housewife was.
It’s always fun to have a sneak peek into the lives of celebrities. That’s what true escapism is.
At over 6 feet tall, the Japanese-Korean-African American beauty is striking. And she’s not only gorgeous — she’s successful. Being with a hip-hop pioneer wasn’t enough. She took her ex-husband’s Phat Farm clothing line and created a sister brand, Baby Phat, that quickly topped its predecessor in sales and popularity. The brand is still active, recently celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Outside of Baby Phat, she runs a luxury line, KLS, has her hands in other beauty brands and runs a multimillion-dollar energy drink company. Watching her as a mogul is inspiring and proof that anything is possible. And she does it all while cracking jokes and being honest about the day-to-day grind.
Her circle of friends has always been an allure. She mixes and mingles with lifelong childhood friends and also with the best of the industry. She’s been a longtime friend of fellow model Tyra Banks and the late Kim Porter, as well as executives across various industries. She’s connected. We can’t wait to see them pop up throughout the series.
She has an entertaining family
The last time we saw Kimora, she was raising two little girls and had just welcomed a son, Kenzo. Now, the boys are running the house, as she has three sons — plus a bonus son. Ming Lee and Aoki Lee remain the mini queens of the castle, but it’s a good mix to see.
Kimora is an active mom. Yes, she may have a staff and village of help, but she’s the boss. All of her kids are still in the nest, and she likes to keep it that way. We know Aoki has a mind of her own, as shown through her social media rants and entertaining antics — and she gets it honest. Ming is more mild, but watching her flourish as a model feels like watching our own baby grow up before our eyes.
The boys are running the show. It’s an interesting dynamic to see this stallion of a mother overtaken by her boys. She’s a sucker for them, and it’s so cute to see.
She’s popping off — and ready to tell her side
Gone are the days when she and her ex-husband Russell Simmons were BFFs. For years, there have been rumblings about the Def Jam Records founder’s alleged behavior. In recent years, Kimora has stayed mostly silent. But as Russell tweets from Bali, Kimora and Aoki have begun to speak out. On the show, Kimora doesn’t mention her exes directly — just that she doesn’t have a relationship with them and handles parenting duties solo. She doesn’t complain. It just is what it is.
Outside of the two adult daughters she shares with Russell, Kimora is mom to Kenzo Lee with ex Djimon Hounsou, Wolf Lee with ex Tim Leissner, and an adopted son, Gary, she’s had since he was 8. She’s also a bonus mom to Jayden, who is a teenager. Russell has been the only ex to publicly comment on statements made in the show.
Kimora and Russell wed in 2001 and divorced in 2006. She has stated the divorce was due to infidelity. Initially, they remained close friends, with Russell as godfather to Kimora’s other three children and her business partner. But things reportedly went south when a lawsuit emerged in 2021 over their energy drink company. In May of that year, Russell sued Kimora and her then-husband, Leissner, alleging they conspired to make a fraudulent transfer of Simmons’ nearly 4 million shares of energy drink company Celsius. That lawsuit is still ongoing, per Rolling Stone.
For many in the industry, the nature of their relationship has long raised questions. They reportedly began dating when she was 17 and he was 35, though some speculate it was earlier. Russell has faced serious allegations — he’s been accused of sexual misconduct and rape by more than a dozen women. Kimora alluded to these accusations in a recent social media post.
In response to the show, Russell wrote on Threads: “I gave u 50,000 a month for 20 years. I was ur best / only friend. I’m the godfather to your other 3 kids, until one day you stole my stock… I have been fighting for my kids’ love and my bread ever since. You threatened that if I sued you, I would never speak to my kids again. There are two sides to every story.”
Kimora responded on Instagram Stories: “My ‘girls’ are GROWN WOMEN. You know these are lies. Why are you typing from thousands of miles away in a non extradition country? Go negotiate and answer your accusers.”
In 2023, Aoki alleged that her father had been verbally and financially abusive to her, her sister and Kimora.
While we want the show to stay positive, it would be powerful to hear more of Kimora’s experience — especially in a MeToo era. Touching on those situations would only add more depth to an already compelling narrative.