Kimora Lee is revisiting one of the more complicated chapters of her modeling career—and revealing how Tyra Banks once tried to keep her away from Russell Simmons.
In a clip from her upcoming Lifetime documentary, Kimora Lee: On Her Own, Lee recalled meeting Simmons while she was working fashion shows and said the future music mogul immediately caught her attention from the front row.
“When I was doing the fashion shows, he would always be front row at the end, like standing up. And so loudly clapping and cheering and doing all of these commotions,” Lee told PEOPLE.
Lee said she initially wondered who the man was and was also struck by the fact that Simmons would come backstage after the shows.
“I definitely was like, ‘Who is the weird guy at the end of the runway?’” she recalled.
Lee said she was 16 when she met Simmons, who she said was 18 years older than her.
As Simmons began sending Lee large floral arrangements, Banks apparently became concerned enough to intervene. Lee recalled Banks keeping her at her apartment for an entire weekend, apparently trying to prevent her from going home and checking her voicemail.
At the time, Lee interpreted Banks’ actions differently.
“I felt a little bit like she was hating for sure, just because she was getting in my way and getting on my nerves,” Lee recalled.
Lee also speculated that Simmons may have previously pursued Banks or other women in their circle, though she presented that as her own assumption rather than a confirmed fact.
“I’m sure he had already tried to date her and had gone through the whole thing with her and probably so many other girls,” Lee said. “I’m sure this was a ritual.”
Despite initially viewing Banks as a “hater,” Lee later framed her friend’s behavior as an attempt to protect her.
“I thought she was a little bit hating. But just how a girlfriend would do. She was trying to protect me,” Lee said.
Lee recalled spending the weekend at Banks’ home, as the two often did at the time. Because cell phones were not yet part of everyday life, Lee said she couldn’t access her messages while she was away.
But Simmons still managed to get through.
“I just couldn’t get to my messages. But he did call,” Lee said.
Lee’s recollection offers another glimpse into the personal relationships surrounding some of the fashion industry’s biggest names during her early career, with Kimora Lee: On Her Own set to explore her life and experiences in greater detail.
