New York, April 19, 2006 – Lionel Richie headlined April’s installment of the amfAR benefit concert series at Cipriani Wall Street, but his daughter, Nicole, couldn’t make it. “She was going to be my date tonight, but she’s home nursing a tooth she had pulled. So she’s in bad shape.”

But Richie consoled himself with Kimora Lee Simmons, who introduced him to the crowd that included Sarah Ferguson and her daughter Beatrice, Lenny Kravitz, Matthew Modine and Harvey Weinstein.

Kimora was with her sort-of-husband Russell Simmons, and the courageous folks from BET asked her how they’re doing. “We’re fine. We’re building an empire” Kimora told them. The empire includes Kimora’s new cosmetics line, KLS, rolling out in Sephora stores, and her book, Fabulosity, which she said is popular with young women. “It’s all about uplifting and inspiring women to go ahead and dare to dream, and in spite of whatever obstacles they have in life, to be fabulous at all times.” Kimora’s Gibraltar-sized diamond rings were kind of fabulous. “Oh, just a little nothing. You know me.”