Aoki Lee Simmons, 21, and Vittorio Assaf, 65, called off their brief, alleged romance, which seemed to concern her parents. Amid their split, Simmons shared a cryptic message on her Instagram story, highlighting a quote from an April 2023 Chloë Sevigny interview with the Cut.
The quote Aoki highlighted was: “I spent a year working at Liquid Sky and Madison Square Garden, standing in line for ticket scalpers and going out, dancing, making out. That was my big year of going out. I do know for my mom it was very terrifying, but I checked in a lot, and my dad would always remind her that there was more good in the world than bad. They were pretty worried about drugs, but I just never liked doing them. I’ve never even done cocaine. I partook in other things: acid, ecstasy, candyflipping.”
Aoki then added a caption over the Instagram story, “Her words [are] also mine [at this point].”
Many fans believe Aoki was hinting about how her recent actions — including her brief relationship with Assaf — affected her parents. Both her mom, Kimora Lee Simmons, and dad, Russell Simmons, seemed to express concern for their daughter photos of her and Assaf kissing surfaced on the internet.
A source close to the Simmons family, however, told People, “Not only is it ‘over’, it was never a thing.”
The insider went on to say that Aoki is simply learning how to navigate her personal life while being in the spotlight.
“That can be difficult,” the source said. “However, Kimora was concerned to see her daughter in that kind of relationship due to what she herself went through.”
For context, Kimora and Russell have an 18-year age gap. They actually met when she was only 17 (and he was 35).
Additionally, a source close to Aoki specifically, shared with People that Aoki and Assaf were “spending time together and enjoying each others’ company” after meeting while vacationing in St. Barths.
Aoki Lee Simmons Shares Cryptic Message Amid Vittorio Assaf Split
When Aoki originally went Live on Instagram with Assaf, many fans expressed their concern for her safety. Furthermore, her father, Russell, posted a photo of himself and Aoki on Instagram, encouraging her to call him.
Aoki is Kimora and Russell’s youngest daughter and an up-and-coming model. She’s more than four decades younger than Assaf, whom she was spotted kissing in St. Barths.
Allegedly, the two are no longer pursuing an intimate relationship. Aoki’s Instagram story highlighting Sevigny’s words makes it clear that she acknowledges how her actions have concerned her parents.