Kimora Lee Simmons Is Proud Of Her Daughter Aoki For Following Her Passion

According to the mother of five, 47, people criticizing the 20-year-old Harvard student for wanting to model despite getting an Ivy League education is “absolutely absurd.”

I am delighted that she is following in my footsteps. However, I consider it a pain because I would not have been a model if I had had some of what they have. At the Back to School Giveaway event, which she hosted in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Baby Phat, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree and Crayola, Kimora told PEOPLE it is simply a matter of looking at different sides of a coin. I think that’s what any mom would say; it’s aspirational. It’s what people want to do. And I feel that sometimes you don’t want your kids to endure hardships.

She pointed out, “If I have done it and I know it’s hard, why would you want to do it? But we love an educated clumsy queen. She is an educated, clumsy queen.” .She supports her daughter’s decision to balance her schoolwork and modeling career.

The models we hope for Aoki know that neither the camera nor the backstage world takes anything away from her. I think she’s seen that with her mom as well,” said Lartigue. “It does not make you a better or worse businessperson, a better or worse student, a better or worse model. You must explore all your passions.”

Aoki responded earlier this month to criticism regarding her modeling career while studying at Harvard.

A fan commented on Aoki’s videos, asking, “You’re so articulate and obviously educated .. how come you chose modeling?” Aoki took issue with the implication that someone cannot be both educated and a model.

In the first place, models are not uneducated or inarticulate. Still, in the second place, I believe what you are trying to ask is, ‘Why am I going into a field that does not necessarily require a degree or a lot of book smarts when I have a lot of education?” Aoki replied.