WORD NERDS: this is NOT your nanay's blog

Kimora Lee Simmons identifies as a Model, Entrepeneur and a Mother (in that order).

With this particular entry, I'm choosing to analyze the image of Kimora Lee Simmons in relation to the construction of gender and what it means to be a woman of Asian descent in mainstream media and Hip Hop. It's a lot to take on, but I want to provide more emphasis on looking at and listening to everything critically. I choose Kimora for several different reasons. In my opinion, she's an attention-grabber for (arguably) the wrong reasons.

After watching her ultra-hyped appearance, which was really a 2-minute stint on E! News (I don't know why I watch this crap), I was able to pull more from what she said than what she actually said. She repeatedly used the word/adjective/new transitive verb 'fabulosity' (also the name of her brand new cosmetics line) when describing the glamour of her new products, her life and her soon-to-be Barbie doll. Yes, a Barbie doll. She also stated that Barbie was her idol and that she was working with Mattel on the construction of Barbie Kimora.

In-ter-es-ting. As the daughter of an African American father and a Japanese mother, Kimora is from St. Louis and began modeling at age 13. "Kimora Lee Simmons is the American Dream....Kimora is the only multiethnic woman to have a successful fashion empire..." (taken from kimoraleesimmons.com) Her description as a multiethnic woman is key, because it seems as though her multiethnic identity is responsible for her success. This raises many questions, an opening of a 'can of worms', if you will: What is the American Dream? Who defines or is it self-proclaimed? Is being the only multiethnic mainstream fashion designer considered a true success? How is Kimora an example of the American Dream? To what can we attribute Kimora's success?

This conundrum arises from the two aforementioned statements taken from Mrs. Simmons' biography on her website. Kimora and the Baby Phat 'empire' was built on the foundation of gender roles and perpetuates concepts of how a grown woman should look, live and think. Kimora is an attractive figure of the American Dream in that her images reflect how a multiethnic woman is able to become economically stable and successful within the confines of the dominant white female fashion model industry. Also, her life's work is in addition to how an American woman should look, live and think. As if being multiethnic is a hurdle to get over in order to become American. As if an avenue to create a space for a more inclusive business and industry hasn't been explored yet or at all. Her constructed image does not recognize the disadvantages of ethnic/multiethnic entrepeneurship that become invisible when she is proclaimed to be the American Dream. Her image prolongs the disappearance of the vulnerability and hardships in attaining the Dream. Not all womyn look like the models she once was, not all womyn are looking to sex-ify themselves or find a date or please someone else other than themselves. Her work reinforces what those who are "all Hip Hop and all fasion" should look like.

Because of her marriage to proclaimed Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons, her work is seemingly predicated on their relationship. Known as "The First Lady of Hip Hop," this title allows her to segue into the Hip Hop/hip pop consumer masses. Her knowledge and experience of the fashion industry is what unfortunately only allows her credibility. Her journey towards entrepeneurship began when she was chosen to head Baby Phat, a feminine clothing line that branched out from Phat Farm (created by Russell Simmons). This is also where her career becomes intertwined with her marriage because the birth of her company came from her husband's. Her clothes depict a standard body size (the same goes for every other clothing designer, I realize this), fit for a female-identified individual seeking to fit into urban youth culture who are willing to pay a little bit more than the ever-too-trendy Urban Outfitters.

It's come to my attention that too many people are spending waaaaaay too much money to emulate a style of a culture that was born from a place of struggle, poverty, the need for change, urbanism, immigrant influx and expression, among other things. And that those who once lived in or come from areas like The Bronx, are upping the ante on what it means to be a participant of the modern-day Hip Hop movement that Russell Simmons is proclaimed to have started.

I tie her initial identification as a model, entrepeneur and mother to personal priorities such as appearance/looks, money and family. This resume-like identity reflects the order in which she held each occupation but also completely isolates the factors of class, gender and race and the milestones that they actually are in the context of American society today. She was selected by elite designers to be model in their shows because of her "exotic" Asian, almond-shaped eye look and she is portrayed as a proud woman of Hip Hop - all of which are occupations that produce financial prosperity and the image we see as Kimora Lee Simmons.

So what would Kimora's Barbie doll look like? Because I probably wouldn't recognize the damn doll if her husband's doll didn't come with it.



x_magsalita.

Labels: Barbie, fabulosity, gender, hip hop