Living fabulosity at it’s best; Kimora Lee Simmons knows a thing or two about style and ambiance. The tall glamazon will be adding a personal touch to one lucky classroom in America. Teaming up with Bounty’s “We Love Our Schools” program, Simmons will provide a head to toe classroom makeover worth $50K. Fierce right?! Picture leopard rugs and furry backed chairs — well maybe not so much but Kimora is working up something wicked for a lucky group of kids. Check out what she had to say about participating in the challenge, life after Baby Phat and her love for hubby Djmon.
ESSENCE.com: How did you get involved in with Bounty classroom makeover project?
KIMORA LEE SIMMONS: We’re here with Bounty and this is the second phase — the first part was the “Make a Difference Clean Campaign” to clean up the schools. You registered, we sent you a kit with supplies and kids took it to school. A lot of teachers pay up to hundreds of dollars for supplies. Satistically, kids learn in a clean and safe environment. We had such a great response from the first half of the campaign that we’ve decided to roll it out and make it bigger and grander in response to all of that. People are still entering — you can go to Facebook.com/bounty to sign up and one school will win a $50,000 classroom makeover from me!
ESSENCE.com: We know from your background that you didn’t attend public school because of your modeling career — so why is this campaign so important to you?
SIMMONS: I’m a big supporter of public school. I feel like education in general shouldn’t be exclusive from one child to the next or one demographic to the next. I think sometimes schools are understaffed and don’t have enough resources and the kids are sometimes neglected — it’s a lot going on. Sometimes I think public schools get a bad wrap. A great education should be accessible to all. Teaching is one of the best job to me — those men and women should get the multi-million dollar salaries. I have a lot respect for them. When I send my kids to school I know they’re in the hands of their teachers all day.
ESSENCE.com: You’re a fashionista! How do your want the classrooms to look?
SIMMONS: I want them to be colorful! There should be one wall with color maybe a pale blue. I want lots of organization for the kids. I think that’s important so it’s not cluttered and messy. I want bookshelves and cubbies. I’m looking at these innovated chairs that make kids healthier, active and stronger. I imagine it to be fun environment where you can learn and feel safe and feel fabulous.
ESSENCE.com: What has life been like since your departure from Baby Phat?
SIMMONS: My life has been absolutely amazing and I didn’t know it could be that way. I often times say I’ve been through two divorces. I’m doing things that I thought I wasn’t so confident in doing. It’s taught me a lot. I’ve seen a lot of people that I really thought I loved show their ass and I’ve seen a lot of people come up to the table for me. I’m seen a lot of people go out of their way to do difficult things to me and I’ve seen that karma come instantly back and burn them. Like you do this me and you walk out the door and bam! A brick falls on your head — I’ve seen it! Business is great and I’m launching an anti-aging skin care line called Shinto Clinical and that’ll be out in the summer.
ESSENCE.com: We’re obsessed with Black love at ESSENCE.com. How do you and hubby Djmon keep things strong in the spotlight?
SIMMONS: It’s not hard! He’s really hot and he’s really sweet and really smart and just a great guy. I’m kind of crazy and busy and all over the place. But we have a balancing act going on — he’s very quiet and strong. My Asian symbol is a rabbit and his is a dragon and I think that says a lot.
