I bought a Nook last week from Barnes and Noble. I hadn't read anything for leisure in forever and for the past couple of months, I've been determined to start doing so again. Before I even got the thing, I had already decided that the first ebook that I'd buy would be Fabulosity: What It Is and How to Get It by Kimora Lee Simmons. The book's been out nearly 5 years, but so what? The Bible's been out for longer than that and somewhere, at this very instant, someone's reading it for the first time ever. If a book has something valuable inside, it doesn't matter when it's first read.
I finally finished reading the book last night and yet again, I'm blown away by Kimora's insight, sense of humor and humility (alongside some seemingly unshakeable confidence). The hilarious stories and quips paired with chunks of wisdom throughout the book shatter all of the depictions of her in the media. What's even more remarkable is that the book was published nearly 5 years ago, which means most of it was probably written when Kimora was 29, 30, maybe 31 years old, yet, most of it sounds as though I were listening to the 35 year old Kimora speaking. And, you can absolutely hear her voice in the book. That's one of the things that make it such a great read.
So, in case you were too lazy to click the link at Barnes and Noble, real quick, here's what the book is about. It's a women's empowerment, soul feeding, fashion how-to, with a roadmap on how to navigate corporate America tossed in. It's awesome and the stories about her own life and how she uses the suggestions that she offers make it a truly rich experience.
It's important to note that Kimora was still firmly planted in Kellwood soil when the book was published, so she talks a lot about Baby Phat and what it took to get that company up and running and to make it so successful. Ironically, she writes in one chapter:
Putting myself in the ads was a powerful way of claiming ownership of my work. I am the image of the company because it's my lifestyle that women around the world are wearing. It's my life! So, if you get some other guy to try and go in and oversee the collection tomorrow, honey, good luck. Because what the customer is looking for is a Bentley and a fur jacket, and they're looking for Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, and that's what they get from me...
Throughout the book, she talks about how, for sure, she enjoys the luxury that she's able to afford in her life, but also how she's not this brain-dead hoarder of goods, as so many have tried to portray her. She writes:
And, that's what's so funny about me. It's not about the Bentleys and stuff. You can take it all away. You can shove it up your you-know-what! Have it, take it, I don't care!Ha! Does anybody need a translation? She continues on to talk about how she doesn't really care about how they portray her, writing:
When you're focused on the audience you care about, you have to also have the discipline not to take the input of other groups outside that audience too seriously.That makes sense and as she mentions, that applies in so many areas of life. Only focus on those people and those things that matter and life is so much less stressful.
I could go on and on and on about this book, but you just have to take my word that it's uplifting, inspiring, hilarious and eye-opening. While I think the book was intended to be an aide to other women, I think that it does a great job of shedding light on who Kimora Lee Simmons really is, aside from the headlines. While I wish that I'd read the book before now, I'm also glad that I did since all of that bullshit with Kellwood happened. It really puts things even more into perspective about just how much of herself Kimora gave to Phat Fashions, especially towards making Baby Phat the internationally loved brand that it is.
She didn't deserve what Kellwood did to her and I'm even more convinced of that after reading the book than I was before. I won't lay off the bastards until they are done. No respect? No dollars. Check out Kimora's website, www.kls.com for ways to support her post-Baby Phat efforts and read the book! Especially if you have an eReader. Download a copy and get to readin'! --Sugar
