By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
Reality TV cuties Vanessa and Angela Simmons is keeping up the family tradition with the release of their footwear line, Pasty.
First their uncle Russell Simmons blazed the trail with Phat Farm and its accessories, which includes footwear, and fragrance. Their aunt Kimora Lee Simmons came soon behind with her best-selling namesake brands. And their father helms his own footwear company, Run Athletics.
For those who don't know, the two young ladies, ages 19, and 23, who appear on MTV's hit series 'Run's House,' are the two beautiful daughters of renowned Run DMC frontman Rev. Run.
Through Run Athtletics, Pastry has been hatched -- or baked up.
The initial line that debuted just a few weeks ago is The Cake Collection, an offering of colorful, mid-priced athletic-inspired shoes designed for stylish young ladies, carrying tasty names such as Chocolate Mousse (brown with pink highlights), Strawberry Shortcake (pink with white highlights), Red Velvet (red with white highlights) and Sprinkles (white with small multi-colored dots).
The footwear is packaged in boxes pictured with a ribbon, ala a pastry purchase.
How adorable.
The line initially debuted via Underground Station stores and website, as well as selected retailers nationwide.
According to spokesperson Mary Moore, in June the addition of a fifth design to the Cake Collection – Lemon Meringue – will see the light of day. It's a brightly colored shoe in tones of yellow.
On May 1, the girls will celebrate the launch in New York City with a daytime stop at Brooklyn's Dr. Jay's Ladies and a nighttime soiree at hotspot Ultra.
More on the girls:
Vanessa is the oldest child in the Simmons family; she's enrolled at St. John's University, with a Business Communication major, and is due to graduate in the Fall. A Ford model and aspiring actress, Vanessa was recently featured in a national Verizon commercial, and was named one of 'Maxim' magazine's "Hot 100" for 2006.
Angela is a fashionista, who attends the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology. She appears in rapper Bow Wow's 'Shortie Like Mine' video and also recently launched a new teen magazine called 'Angela's RunDown,' which covers music, fashion and style.


Comments: (465)
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By: kimiko on 5/01/2007 8:28AM
YOU GO GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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By: Thea on 5/01/2007 8:30AM
Hey, are there going to be sizes 10 1/2 to 12's, and are they to have good sales, I hope they are made for walking,I don't even buy Kswiss, they are not for walking, I don't even know why you all buy them,they are not good shoes, not unless they had a wake up call. I tried on those shoes they were so heavey, I left them on the rack. I never will forget the time I lived in KS it gets real cold I mean very cold in the winter, I went to the store to buy my family some coats, I saw a Shawn John coat with some fake fur around the neck part $80.00, I mean the coat was so thin,I thought to my self he this aint Florida, this is Kansas and it's gets cold, he didn't make the coat for cold weather a thin very thin wind breaker type of coat I left it on the rack, in the dead of winter snow up to your knee's it's so cold the grease in your hair freezes when you step out side, and all he had on this item was a piece of fake fur around the neck and wind breaker type of material one layer of stuffing and this coat was like $80.00, I thought to my self what is going on. The price on his good coats where to high that the store could't afford them so they bought a wind breaker and put them out just because of the name, this was Burlington,they have all coats but guess what I bought a full lenght leather coat with pockets for that amount of money on sale with a hood on it and that same fake fur that was around the neck was lined in that leather coat and the hood, I was warm in style and happy. When I saw some of the prices on south pole, rockaware, baby phat these coats where the highest things in the store and the cheapest made items in the store, I left them on the rack. You can always find a good sale in Macy's in the basement and that is where I went and recived top name clothing at a good price. I can spot a payless type of tennis shoe any where and I don't buy them they are not good for walking or any of that, Nike is the only tennis shoe I wear,because some of their shoes are just good, and I can't complain, I can stand for hours and walk and my feet do not hurt, I do a lot of walking on my job and all I wear at work are tennis shoes nevertheless.
I hope these laidies at least every now and then you have a good sale on their shoes,and I hope their shoes are good for walking and standing for long times ,where all ages and sizes can enjoy them. They are cute shoes good luck girls because there are tuff critics out here like my self any ways I have never seen or heard of these girls at all, good luck girls.
Don't hate the player, hate the game.
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By: msladawne on 5/01/2007 8:33AM
WTG GIRLS!!!! keep up the good work. U are the 2 most beautiful girls. not just looks but attitude. I pray my girls grow up to be just like that. And again WTG.
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By: Carmen on 5/01/2007 8:19PM
Hi Girls,
If you guys are not another version of the Cosby, but more realistic, I will eat my hat!lol Congrats to you both and to the rest of the clan, Kudos..... Mom and Dad are so cute...it is amazing how things turn out. I wish you guys the best. I love cake so you know I am a fan of the shoes already. You know I am sure you will have trials and tribulations, but you girls are smart and wise and Mom and Dad got ya back so sore with the eagles and don't scrape with the chickens!!!
Carmen
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By: Nellie Stewart on 5/01/2007 8:37AM
I think the ladies have come up with a very good idea! I think the shoes are great. Will definately buy them. As for the diabetic comment, I think it was very ignorant. You wear the shoes not eat them! I'm diabetic and I inherited diabetes not because of sweets.
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By: ms levert on 5/01/2007 8:42AM
god blees u girls in what ever u do ,thank u so much for being such and insperation .keep up the good work and much successs with the sneakers.god bless u and your family
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By: GWEN on 5/01/2007 8:43AM
To: Wunin ThaNo A MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WAIST.BOTH CHA CHA AND SHELLY MCQUEEN ARE RIGHT, YOU'RE STUPID AND UMMMMMM,-STUPID!!!!!! THE SIMMONS GIRLS ARE DOING THEIR THING, DON'T YOU WISH YOU WERE? GROW UP.
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By: byron archie on 5/01/2007 8:45AM
dont hate these r some nice looking sistas, i'm glad they are doing more than just shaking their butts on BET. if you dont like what they r doing ,DONT BUY THERE PRODUCTS
BIG GUNS 5/1/07
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By: Linda N. on 5/01/2007 8:48AM
I also saw the episode when the girls worked very hard to come up with this concept.When I first saw the sneakers I was very impressed.Russel and Rev.Run a wise decision to invest in this line.Keep up the good work ladies and be blessed.I agree with Shelly Wunin ThaNo must have self esteem issues to come up with such a bizarre statement relating diabetes to this.We should uplift any of people esp. young sister trying to get ahead in a positive way .
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By: JESSICA on 5/01/2007 9:16AM
IM GLAD THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH THEIR LIVES. AND I WANT ME A PAIR OF THEM SHOES THEY HOT AS HELL.
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