How Old Is Kimora Lee Simmons? the Real Story Behind Her Early Career and Russell Simmons Romance
During her rise in the early 1990s, Kimora was part of a tight-knit circle of Black models navigating an industry that frequently pitted women of color against one another. Her relationship with Tyra Banks stood out. Both were breakout teenage stars working in Paris and New York, but their dynamics shifted when Kimora began dating Russell Simmons.
Kimora shared in retrospective interviews that she once believed Banks was envious of her relationship with Russell. The music executive was a powerful, glamorous figure in New York nightlife, and Kimora’s placement at his side altered her social standing. While teenage friction created tension, the two supermodels resolved their differences in adulthood. Banks later welcomed Kimora onto America’s Next Top Model as a guest judge, turning an early rivalry into long-term professional respect.