Aoki Lee Simmons and Victorio Assaf recently unveiled their budding romance with some public displays of affection during a trip to St. Barts, causing quite a stir on the internet. It’s hard to miss the irony as Russell Simmons, Aoki’s dad, might be heard all the way from Bali, while her mom, Kimora Lee, is reportedly taken aback by her 22-year-old daughter dating a 65-year-old man. However, should this be surprising given their family history? After all, didn’t Kimora start dating Russell when she was just a teenager? It seems Aoki might be following in her mother’s footsteps, pursuing wealth and experience. But let’s delve into this situation, because it’s quite the spectacle.
Exclusive photos published by Page Six captured Aoki passionately kissing Victorio, a 65-year-old restaurateur known for founding the Sarafina Restaurant Group and authoring “Sarafina: Modern Italian Cuisine for Everyday Home Cooking.” Clearly, he’s quite affluent. In these images, Aoki was in a bikini while Victorio was shirtless, with moments showing Aoki posing for photos taken by Victorio on his phone. They also enjoyed a swim in the crystal-clear waters.
Before these photos made waves, Aoki had shared snaps from her Caribbean getaway on Instagram, but interestingly, none of them included another person. A few days earlier, she posted beach photos, which now appear to have been taken by someone much older. Victorio also shared pictures from the same trip, featuring a friend he’s known for 25 years—possibly one of the photos taken by Aoki. It’s worth noting that he’s been friends with this person longer than Aoki has been alive.
According to a source who spoke with People, Aoki and Victorio are spending time together and enjoying each other’s company. They reportedly met while vacationing in St. Barts, a favored travel spot for the Simmons family. The news quickly spread on social media, prompting followers to inundate Aoki’s Instagram with questions and concerns, particularly focusing on the significant 43-year age gap. Many expressed shock at the age difference, with one person even commenting, “A 43-year age difference? That’s practically criminal!”
What’s also causing consternation is that Aoki is far from being unintelligent. From a young age, she has been involved in modeling for her family’s Baby Phat line and JustFab. In 2021, Aoki made her runway debut at Pyer Moss Paris Couture and has since appeared on the covers of Teen Vogue, Rollercoaster, and Flaunt, while being featured in prestigious publications like Vogue, Huffington Post, The Cut, Essence, and Complex. Aoki has collaborated with renowned fashion houses such as Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana, Moncler, Tory Burch, and Kate Spade. She was also recently announced as the face of BCBG’s new capsule collection, BCBG New York.
Furthermore, Aoki graduated from Harvard University at the young age of 20, showcasing her intelligence. She has even defended her decision to pursue modeling despite her academic achievements, explaining, “Models aren’t uneducated or inarticulate. I love modeling and believe we should normalize pursuing what you love, even if it’s not directly related to your education. So, we’re definitely not talking about someone who lacks intelligence.” Given her accomplishments, many are left wondering why she would involve herself in a situation that some might view as less intellectually challenging.
It’s conceivable that Victorio might be exploiting Aoki due to their significant age difference—what business does a 65-year-old have discussing with a 22-year-old girl? Notably, Victorio was previously romantically involved with another young model, 23-year-old Nia Gatoul. One might wonder if this is a pattern for him—pursuing young models and taking advantage of them. This kind of situation can lure young women into the wild parties we’ve heard about, as seen with Diddy. Kimora needs to step in and address this promptly.
There are rumors suggesting that Kimora doesn’t mind and may have encouraged her daughter to seek out established partners with wealth. Kimora Lee herself is 48, and her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, is 66. They met when Kimora was just 17 and still in high school. At that time, Russell had founded Def Jam Recordings, and Kimora was an up-and-coming model. It’s presumed that Aoki is following in her mother’s footsteps.
Some even say Kimora approves of her daughter dating a 65-year-old. Previously, Aoki faced criticism for her relationships, with people suggesting she was only in them for financial gain. Aoki responded to these accusations, hinting at racial bias and the negativity she faces on social media.
However, others argue it’s less about race and more about Aoki pursuing wealthy partners, similar to what she appears to be doing with 65-year-old Victorio. Perhaps Aoki’s unresolved issues with her father are pushing her to seek a paternal figure in older men. Recall when Kimora Lee recently went on Instagram Live, airing grievances about Russell’s behavior and how she financially supported him, all while he was absent from their daughters’ lives.
Kimora revealed that they had blocked Russell a long time ago due to his alleged behavior, despite him pretending everything was peaceful. Aoki also chimed in on Instagram to share her side of the story, exposing her father for his mistreatment of them. Many close to him have experienced his tendency to lash out at anyone and his complete change in personality. Some suspect there may be mental health issues at play due to his significant transformation over time. Aoki disclosed that Russell had been verbally abusive towards her for years, especially when she refused to support him.
She shared text messages detailing years of mistreatment, demonstrating his consistent awful behavior towards her. Aoki accused her father of attempting to sabotage her fashion career and threatening her sister and grandmother. She also described incidents where Russell yelled and screamed at her over legal matters she was not involved in. Aoki expressed concern about her father’s mental state, indicating recordings of his extreme behavior.
Aoki’s relationship choices also raised eyebrows, with comments suggesting she may have “daddy issues” due to her dating a man much older than her. Aoki defended her relationship on social media, viewing it as a positive aspect of her life, despite public skepticism.
There is worry that Aoki may repeat patterns seen in her father’s behavior, especially given his past allegations. Russell has faced numerous accusations, including exploiting underage individuals, which has drawn comparisons to other high-profile figures like Diddy.
Does it strike you as appropriate that his daughter desires to be in the spotlight with similar narratives? She’s an adult and can choose her path, yet does this 43-year age gap seem acceptable to you? Also, do you suspect Kimora Lee might have influenced her daughter’s choice to date a significantly older man? I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this relationship, so please share them in the comments below.
