Kimora Lee Simmons Wants to Find the Next Oscar de la Renta

Photos Courtesy of Kimora Lee Simmons

She’s been a Chanel model, a clothing designer, a talk show host, and a hip hop icon…at this point, Kimora Lee Simmons has had more jobs (and costume changes) than Barbie. Now, she adds another role to her impressive CV: Scholarship Chair.

Last week, the St. Louis native announced a $1 million fund for fashion students at FIT, FIDM, and Rush Philanthropic Arts Organization, and the chosen recipients won’t just get cash — they’ll also receive mentoring, plus an internship at Simmons’ new fashion label, KLS Collection.

We spoke with the style mogul (and rumored future Fashion Police host) about her new venture, her cashmere stash, and the holy grail of beauty products: Vaseline.

Yahoo Style: You’ve been involved in so many fashion projects—but not really with fashion schools. Why is now the right time?
Kimora Lee Simmons: I’ve been planning for this for a long time. Creative education has always been a passion of mine, and and I’ve always wanted to know how you match formal education with the creative process. A lot of times in our history, you see a lot of great talent, but there’s not a lot of opportunities in terms of funding. It’s just not there. So when it came time to build the scholarship, of course it came down to what am I personally able to do and afford? And now, going forward, I — and by “I,” I mean my family, too — we’re going to be raising money on behalf of these kids continuously. It’s my vow and my pledge to these kids. This is not a one time thing. Like most things in life, [this endowment] is about place and opportunity. But the need is always there. The need is always there. And in my heart, it’s always the right time to find a way to give back to the fashion community.

YS: How involved will you personally be with these students?
KLS: I mean, I feel like they’re all my kids. I’m a working mom in the fashion business. I’ve had many reincarnations, and so I feel a certain passion for young people and their abilities and designs—I see creativity in fashion with my own kids, too! And I went to FIT the other day… I’ve met with students and I’ve given speeches, but next, I really want to see and review their work!

YS: When they met with you, were they nervous?
KLS: Should they have been?

YS: I mean, I would be nervous to meet with you!
KLS: Well, okay, yes, they’re nervous. But the kids who are applying for this program are already at fashion school, and they’re already excelling in their classes. So more than being nervous, they seemed pretty excited. They were smiling and nodding, and saying, “Yeah, Kimora, we get what you’re saying.” And it’s not just me — they’re excited to learn from so many people. When it comes to fostering future designers, every little bit from everywhere counts. And who knows? This program could help develop the next Oscar de la Renta, the next Prabal Gurung, or the next Alexander Wang.

YS: You’ll be mentoring these students — and you’ve had many mentors in your fashion career, even Karl Lagerfeld. What makes a good mentor?
KLS: You have to have patience and insight. For me, personally, a good mentor helps foster inspiration… But I think I’ll be a good mentor because I’ll see when someone struggles. I’ve gone down a lot of roads on my own! I’ve had a lot of hits and a lot of misses in the industry, so I can speak with them from a place of personal knowledge and input. And young people value your opinion and what you done. I hear sometimes from parents, “They don’t want to hear from me, but they’ll listen to you!”

YS: What’s your fashion staple right now — the thing you’ll never leave without?
KLS: A pencil jean is key, or a great legging. Now that it’s fall, my cashmere coats and wool coats are everything. They’re thin and elegant, and they travel well, and they’re warm. They’re like trench coats, but made from cashmere, you know?

YS: Only in neutrals, or will you do color?
KLS: Let me look… okay, I just pulled out a navy blue, black and a stone grey one from my closet. But there are some lavender and baby pink ones that are great, too — those are big right now as well.

YS: What’s your beauty obsession?
KLS: Serums. I’m obsessed with serums. It’s a moisture serum or a serum mask — it has to be easy to use and travel well… I only use one brand from France, called Codage. The idea is that every product has a little code, like a scientific code, for moisture or pigmentation, and a lot of masks are good for clearing up the skin. It works wonders for me. I’ve been using it for a year and a half, and I love how amazing my skin feels. But their products are very high-end — you can get it at Bon Marché in Paris or Harrod’s in London, places like that.

YS: Do you have a drugstore beauty buy, too?
KLS: Oh, yeah. As a mom, I’ve never stopped buying baby wipes. They can take your lipstick off, they can clean your hands, they can clean your clothes, your kids. They’re great. And my magic product is a little jar of Vaseline. Vaseline can go on your lips, and it can go on the dry patches on your elbows and knees. And a lot of makeup artists I worked with as a model use it on the cheekbones and eyelids. You get that glossy look with your eyes if you use it. It looks very cool — and it’s just from a normal jar of Vaseline!