RussellSimmons

Rachel Bilson Designs For The Diamond Empowerment Fund

Filed under: Jewelry, Charity, Celebrity Design

Last December Rachel Bilson traveled to Botswana and South Africa to see the work being done by Russell Simmons' Diamond Empowerment Fund. Now the actress has created a new bracelet to benefit the cause. The leather bracelet features a 1/6 carat diamond in an Everlon Diamond Knot setting (the latest design from De Beers). The round-cut diamond is set in 14k gold over sterling silver. The bracelet sells for $100 at Macy's and $20 from each sale goes to the Diamond Empowerment Fund to support the education and empowerment of African people.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund was founded in 2007 and first raised money with the selling of a malachite bracelet crowned with a rough diamond. The non-profit international organization raises money to support education initiatives that include the fund's first project, the CIDA City Campus, located in Johannesburg, South Africa. The four-year school educates students and sends them back to the townships as teachers. It offers liberal arts education and business classes and the students do all the work at the school except teaching. Profits from Bilson's bracelet will help purchase additional student housing for the campus.

[via In Style]

Tags: de beers, DeBeers, Def Jam Records, diamond empowerment fund, Diamond Empowerment Initiative, DiamondEmpowermentFund, everlon, rachel bilson, RachelBilson, russell simmons, RussellSimmons

Art Basel Is Fun Again

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Art

Art Basel was fun again this year. After a recession-stained climate last year led to toned down partying, collectors and dealers (and everyone else) was back in style this time around. According to the Wall Street Journal, it seemed like everyone was throwing a party this year, with the likes of Larry Gagosian and Lance Armstrong getting in on the action. And, the parties didn't suck. Hosts went all out -- with live music and other attractions -- to separate themselves from the competition. Some even tried something new, with the words "Everybody has a Damien Hirst" uttered.

Of course, there were enough celebrities in supply to ensure that every host had one to boast about. Scott Stapp, lead singer of Creed, and Russell Simmons, for example, were present at the Mondrian South Beach Hotel. Simmons is a committed collector of works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Barbara Krueger and was in town to raise money for his charity, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.

An after-party hosted by Julian Schnabel's art dealer son, Vito, attracted some big names, as well. Peter Brant, an art collector who recently tried to move "Brother Sausage" by Basquiat at auction, was there, along with Abby Rosen.

Yet, there were more intimate dinners and cocktail parties than in past years, according to Art Basel regulars. A few corporate sponsors still made the plunge, including UBS, NetJets and Cartier.

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Tags: art, art collecting, art collection, art collector, art dealer, art exhibit, art exhibits, art fair, art show, ArtCollecting, ArtCollection, ArtCollector, ArtDealer, ArtExhibit, ArtExhibits, ArtFair, ArtShow, basquiat, cartier, damien hirst, DamienHirst, jean-michel basquiat, Jean-michelBasquiat, julian schnabel, JulianSchnabel, Lance Armstrong, LanceArmstrong, Larry Gagosian, LarryGagosian, miami, miami beach, MiamiBeach, NetJets, Parties, peter brant, PeterBrant, russell simmons, RussellSimmons, Scott Stapp, ScottStapp, south beach, SouthBeach, ubs, UbsAg

Kimora Lee And Russell Simmons In Saddle River, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

A recent post on the Real Estalker inspired me to take a look at the real estate doings of Kimora Lee Simmons. Simmons and ex-husband Russell Simmons have a variety of properties. Kimora made our slow sellers list for a home in the Beverly Hills Post office area that she was trying to sell for over a year but after knocking the price down to the price she bought it for ($5.9 million) it has been pulled from the market. Meanwhile Simmons has put a modest three-bedroom ranch-style home in East Hampton, New York on the market for $800,000. The simple home has none of Kimora's ostentatious style and may have been used for guests.

For a real look at Kimora's style check out the Saddle River, New Jersey home that Kimora Lee and Russell have been trying to sell for a few years. We've been talking about this home for a few years but never given in full estate of the day treatment. It was once listed for $23.888 million dropped to $19.888 million and then pulled off the market. But as Homes of the Rich pointed out last month, the exes are giving it another trying, relisting the lavish mansion at $16.5 million. The 10-bedroom home famous for its cinema-worthy home theater, professional fitness center, wine cellar with bar seating and painted rotunda has made the rounds of various television shows and magazines. It has both indoor and outdoor pools, staff quarters, a pool house and a security system designed by the White House security company.

Gallery: Kimora Lee Simmons in East Hampton

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Tags: celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, east hampton, EastHampton, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, kimora lee simmons, KimoraLeeSimmons, new jersey, NewJersey, russell simmons, RussellSimmons, saddle river, SaddleRiver

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Russell Simmons Gave Me a SpongeBob SquarePants Alarm Clock Radio

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Men's Style

He lives in a Swarovski crystal studded pineapple under the sea.

Russell Simmons gave me a SpongeBob SquarePants alarm clock radio. No, I did not dream this.

I was recently at an event for Simmons Jewelry Company when who should walk in but Russell Simmons himself, wearing a glimmering SpongeBob SquarePants pendant! He was very cordial and said I looked familiar. I said he looked familiar, too. He said "I'm Russell Simmons."

The event was to celebrate and exhibit the new Simmons Jewelry Co. collections that will be coming out this fall and for the holidays, and there is a whole line of luxury SpongeBob SquarePants jewelry for men and women.

"Why SpongeBob?" I asked Russell. His answer was simple: "SpongeBob is the Hello Kitty for men."

Genius! As you may know, Kimora Lee Simmons of the Simmons family has had a line of Hello Kitty jewelry for quite awhile now (you can read Rigel's article about the Zodiac collection here) -- and even designed the $50,000 Hello Kitty necklace Britney Spears wore in her music video for "Do Somethin'." There's a lot of great new Hello Kitty stuff coming this fall, too -- including Swarovski crystal studded earbuds and a USB drive I've got my eye on.

For now, let's have a look at the SpongeBob and Bikini Bottom items, which come in sterling silver, 18kt gold plating, enamel work and Swarovski crystals (as shown). Who knows? Maybe they'll make a $50,000 one for Justin Timberlake!

As for the alarm clock radio in the gift bag? I gave it to my landlord's kids.

Gallery: SpongeBob SquarePants by Simmons Jewelry Co.

Tags: hello kitty, HelloKitty, jewelry, luxist previews, LuxistPreviews, Russell Simmons, RussellSimmons, Simmons jewelry company, SimmonsJewelryCompany, spongebob, spongebob squarepants, SpongebobSquarepants

Buyers Bounce to Beach, ArtHamptons Flops

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Art

The artists are blaming the weather. Despite the fact that we're in a pretty nasty art slump, the optimistic believe that three days of sunshine lured potential art buyers to the beach instead of the ArtHamptons fair in Bridgehampton, Long Island this weekend. Purchases were made, but in general, they were disappointing. Realistically, the sales made sense, given what we've seen at auction over the past year.

Several celebrities did attend the art fair, but they brought little excitement, it seems, beyond their appearances. Jon Bon Jovi, personalities from The Real Housewives of New York City, Kelsey Grammer and Russell Simmons were all spotted, but Bloomberg didn't report any purchases.

The biggest name at the ArtHamptons fair, of course, was Michael Jackson – a creation by Andy Warhol. Originally, Vered Gallery had hoped to sell it via silent auction, but the gallery yanked the portrait late last week ... claiming that collectors were looking at the piece but "needed more time to assess the value."

Or, maybe they were just at the beach, like everyone else, apparently.

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Tags: andy warhol, AndyWarhol, art, art fair, art galleries, art gallery, art market, ArtFair, ArtGalleries, ArtGallery, ArtMarket, artwork, bon jovi, BonJovi, bridgehampton, hamptons, jon bon jovi, JonBonJovi, kelsey grammer, KelseyGrammer, long island, LongIsland, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, new york, NewYork, real housewives of new york, real housewives of new york city, RealHousewivesOfNewYork, RealHousewivesOfNewYorkCity, russell simmons, RussellSimmons, the real housewives of new york city, TheRealHousewivesOfNewYorkCity, warhol

SpongeBob SquarePants Fine Jewelry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

The allure of cartoon characters on jewelry eludes me but there must be a market for it since we've seen a fair amount of it on the market. Simmons Jewelry Company, Russell Simmons's company and Nickolodeon have partnered on a new fine jewelry and watch line inspired by SpongeBob SquarePants, The line will include pieces in gold, silver and enamel and products will sell for $150 to $75,000. The line will debut in the fall. The 12-carat total weight diamond-encrusted SpongeBob pendant shown here will be auctioned off for charity with proceeds benefiting Simmons's Diamond Empowerment Fundwhich funds schools in Africa. Simmons Jewelry is also the creator of the Hello Kitty fine jewelry line.

Gallery: Cartoons Go Glam

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Tags: russell simmons, RussellSimmons, simmons jewelry company, SimmonsJewelryCompany, spongebob-squarepants

Russell Simmons Speaks at JCK Las Vegas on the Diamond Empowerment Fund

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Charity

Greetings from the JCK Jewelry Show in Las Vegas. The show is one of the jewelry world's major events where manufacturers and wholesalers show their latest wares to retailers and industry professionals. The keynote speaker this morning was Russell Simmons, the hip hop impresario behind Def Jam Records and Baby Phat and now Simmons Jewelry and the Diamond Empowerment Fund. Simmons first became interested in the jewelry business a couple of years ago. He began thinking about jewelry when his then wife, Kimora decided it would be a good idea to make jewelry. His initial response was that he would never buy her fur coats or diamonds, two things he associated with hurt and damage to others.

He changed his mind after doing more research with the Clinton Initiative and other groups and taking his own trip to Africa where he met with Nelson Mandela and learned that while diamonds have caused a lot of pain and suffering they also can do good in the world. He found that in some areas people would starve without the sales of diamonds. This led to the formation of the Diamond Empowerment Fund. DEF works to promote higher education for Africans and so far has raised $9 million for a school in South Africa, the CIDA school which serves 3300 students, It is a four-year school,which is basically a college to teach students and send them back to the townships as teachers. It offers liberal arts education and business classes and the students do all the work at the school except teaching.

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Tags: diamond empowerment fund, diamonds, russell simmons, RussellSimmons, south africa, SouthAfrica

Continue reading “Russell Simmons Speaks at JCK Las Vegas on the Diamond Empowerment Fund”

Russell Simmons Sells Green Jewelry

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping

Simmons Jewelry Company, the company owned by Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons, is going green. They are launching the Green Initiative, a line of jewelry that raises money for the Diamond Empowerment Fund, whose mission is to raise money for African communities. The designs feature steel, rubber, diamonds. At the Academy Awards, Forest Whitaker wore the Los Angeles stainless steel and green rubber cross bracelet with laser engraved logo and diamonds. 25% of the proceeds from this piece and most of the others in the collection go to the Diamond Empowerment Fund.

The Green Bracelet shown here features malachite beads and a rough diamond, catching on to the current trend for rough diamonds in jewelry designs. 50% of the proceeds of the piece go to the Diamond Empowerment Fund. Each bracelet comes with a Kimberley Process certificate, a Gem Certification Assurance Lab certificate, and a DVD message from Russell Simmons with footage from his trip to Botswana and South Africa last year. Prices for the collection range from $200-$35,000.

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Tags: diamonds, do no evil, green initiative, russell simmons, RussellSimmons, simmons jewelry company