The latest line to hit Macy’s is SIS by Simone I. Smith. The jewelry line is a modern infused line with a touch of the ’90s swag. However it’s the story behind the brand that makes it a better investment compared to it’s competition. SIS’s proceeds go towards the American Cancer Society, a choice that has much to do with it’s founder being a 10 year cancer survivor.
In 2004, Smith was diagnosed with stage three III Chondorosarcoma—a rare form of bone cancer. She thankfully beat it proving she’s a fashionable fighter. Now that she’s beat probably the hardest battle she’s ever encountered she wants to bring the grace of her accessory line to tell the sweet side of things. Smith’s line has a little bit of everything. Growing up in the era of the door knockers and bodacious styles, she incorporated her foundation with other styles for minimalist—”not everyone is daring and risqué to put on a pair of really big hoops so I toned them down.”
The woman behind the brand is not just a cancer survivor but she’s a mother and wife to LL Cool J. His wife of over 20 years took her love for accessories and a trying period of her life to help others upgrade their fashion statements. Flip the page to learn more about SIS by Simone I. Smith, her family and LL’s overwhelming support for her.
Visit Her Website: http://simoneismith.com/
Photo Credit: Getty, Simone I. Smith
The Story behind Simone I. Smith:
SS: We have hoop earrings of all sizes, bangles, and lollipops. The lollipops [necklaces] are called, “Sweet Touch of Hope” and it’s the most popular piece besides the hoop earrings because it represents my journey as a 10 year cancer survivor. My lollipop necklace was disfigured during surgery and it looked like somebody took a bite out of my lollipop so when I decided to design Simone I. Smith, I decided to design the lollipop exactly the way my tattoo looked after my surgery and my logo is stuck in the middle which represents my journey.
Bringing Her 90s Era to Today’s Fashion:
SS: Some of it is subtle. But I do it for all the ladies because not everyone is daring and risqué to put on a pair of really big hoops so I toned them down. We have all sizes. I wanted to make sure all the ladies would be able to rock some SIS.
Her Tight Knit and Supportive Family:
SS: It’s very important to have my family on board because my family inspires me. By the grace of god all my kids are talented and they give me their information. Todd and I are both young parents so we have kids that keep us cool even though I think I’m cool, so it’s very important to have my family involved.
Dream SIS Models:
SS: Pink. My girl, Nicki Minaj. I know she has a pink lollipop, I gave her one when I first started the line but I would love to see her rock my stuff. Beyoncé and would love for Michelle Obama. We tried a couple of times, but it’s really hard to try and get her some times. I just feel like Michelle should be rocking some SIS.
Future of the Brand:
SS: I love accessories so I would love to do handbags for sure. Maybe some belts but handbags for sure. If your handbags is right and your jewelries right, you’re it.
Their Hollywood Marriage and Family:
Simone Smith: We put god first in our family. Although we are fortunate and our family’s fortunate, they have chores and we have rules in our house. You do well, you get a lot, you don’t do well, don’t ask for nothing. We both were raised by our grandparents and the mothers in the home. We both have god fearing grandparents. That’s how we were raised so we raised our children in the same type of environment.
LL Cool J: It’s not a Hollywood marriage. That’s what people forget. We’re from the same neighborhood. Sometimes as you become successful in entertainment, you can easily forget who you are and where you came from and you can start living your life as though you have an imaginary crown on your head. And that’s dangerous. It’s nothing wrong with being proud and confident in who you are but when it pushes over to the point to where you forget where you came from you kinda have to look in the mirror and check yourself.
His Thoughts on Her Jewelry Line:
LL: I think it’s great for women everywhere. For my daughters and women everywhere. You can do anything you put your mind to. Especially women that come from humble beginnings. Around the way girls, girls that come from normal places in this world and they need to know that they can make it and they can do something and that they have some value. it doesn’t always have to be about the rapper, actor, entertainer, or ball player taking them out of their misery. Although it’s apart of the fantasy, but it’s not always about that, you can do it.
Favorite piece from her line:
LL: Right now, it’s the lollipop. I’m not going to run around with some door knockers on, that may make a splash on VIBE.com [lol] like “you see your man in the door knockers’ but then again, if I put a trp beat to it then it will work. I like the lollipop though, it’s great.
Letting Her Have the Spotlight:
LL: For me it feels good. Obviously I was there to support her and help her but it truly is her vision. She really was committed to it, she put a lot of energy in it. It was her choice to give back to the American Cancer Society and I’m just glad to be cheerleading.
Staying Humble:
LL: I try to keep god first. I remember where I came from. Like my new album GOAT 2, Everything I’m doing, The whole point is to remember where you came from. To talk to my people and where I grew up. It’s not to get to Hollywood and all of a sudden start tap dancing and trying to be a different guy and forgetting who I am. I didn’t forget who I am, I’m just a guy that goes after his dreams. For a 20 something year old, they look at LL and say, ‘he’s been famous his whole life, is he even a real guy,’ because ‘all I ever seen is him on TV.’ I never forget where I come from. I really am a guy from queens tat just worked hard.