If you’ve been anywhere near a newsfeed lately, you know the Combs name has been heavy. It’s unavoidable. But while the headlines mostly circle around the legal chaos of their father, Sean Combs, there is a much quieter—and honestly, more interesting—story happening with his twin daughters, D’Lila Star and Jessie James Combs.
These girls have basically lived two lives. One was the ultra-glamorous, jet-setting childhood of "Bad Boy" royalty. The other is the stark, resilient reality of two young women who lost their mother, Kim Porter, in 2018 and are now navigating their late teens while their father serves a 50-month prison sentence.
✨ Don't miss: Is Mel Gibson a Republican? What He Really Thinks About Politics
Most people just see the matching outfits or the runway walks. But if you look closer, there’s a massive pivot happening in the Combs family dynamic right now.
The Twinship and the Legacy of Kim Porter
D'Lila and Jessie aren't just "Diddy's daughters." To anyone who followed the 90s fashion scene, they are the living image of Kim Porter. Born on December 21, 2006, the twins arrived at a complicated time for the family. In fact, their sister Chance was born just five months earlier to Sarah Chapman.
Despite the drama that often swirled around Sean Combs, Kim Porter was the glue. When she died suddenly from lobar pneumonia at age 47, the twins were only 11.
That kind of loss changes you. It makes you grow up fast.
Recently, the twins have been very vocal about following in her footsteps. They don’t just want to be famous; they want to be models. And they’re actually doing it. We’ve seen them walking for major brands like Dolce & Gabbana and, more recently, hitting the runway for Ellaé Lisqué’s 10th-anniversary show in Los Angeles.
💡 You might also like: Pics of Cassie and Diddy: The Evidence That Changed Everything
The College Question: Why They Said No
Here is where it gets interesting. In early 2025, while their sister Chance was heading off to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, D’Lila and Jessie made a pretty bold announcement on TikTok.
They’re skipping college.
In a video that was later deleted (but not before everyone saw it), they explained that they’re jumping straight into the business world. They’ve launched a brand called 12TWINTY1. The name is a nod to their birthday, December 21. They’ve been seen rocking hoodies from the line, signaling that they want to be entrepreneurs, not just influencers.
Some people criticized the move. "They're 18, they need an education," the comments said. But honestly? When you’ve been raised in the middle of a billion-dollar empire, maybe you feel like you’ve already had a PhD in branding.
Standing by Sean Combs During the Trial
The last year has been a nightmare for the Combs family. We saw the raids, the headlines about racketeering and sex trafficking, and the eventual sentencing. Throughout it all, D’Lila and Jessie Star Combs didn't hide.
They were there.
They were spotted at the Manhattan Federal Court multiple times, often holding hands with their grandmother, Janice Combs, or their older brothers, Quincy, Justin, and Christian.
It’s a weird thing to watch—two 18-year-olds dressed in sophisticated, somber outfits, walking into a courtroom to hear the most graphic allegations against their father. While the public has largely turned on Sean Combs, his children have remained a united front. Quincy Brown even posted that the family "stands united" and that nothing would break them.
Life Without "Puff": Who is Raising Them Now?
With their father currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix, and their mother gone, you might wonder who’s actually looking after the twins.
They haven't been left to fend for themselves.
- Kimora Lee Simmons: The Baby Phat mogul has stepped up in a huge way. She was one of Kim Porter’s closest friends, and she’s publicly said that the twins are "her kids" now. She’s been a mentor, a mother figure, and a protector.
- Lawanda "Lala" Lane: A longtime friend of Kim Porter, Lala has been the one providing the day-to-day stability in Los Angeles while the world was falling apart around them.
- The Brothers: Quincy, the eldest (whom Sean Combs adopted), has basically become the head of the household. He, Justin, and Christian (King Combs) have been the primary support system for the girls.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Twins
The biggest misconception is that D'Lila and Jessie are just "nepo babies" coasting on a bank account.
While they obviously have privilege, they are entering the workforce at the exact moment the "Combs" brand is at its lowest point in history. They aren't just inheriting a throne; they are trying to build a new one while the old one is on fire.
Their social media presence has shifted. They used to post a lot of high-energy, "living my best life" content. Now, it’s more curated. It’s more business-focused. They even restricted their comments for a while because the 50 Cent trolls and the internet detectives were becoming too much.
The Actionable Reality
If you’re following the story of D’Lila and Jessie Star Combs, there are a few things to keep an eye on over the next year:
- The Brand Launch: Watch for the official drop of 12TWINTY1. This will be the true test of whether they can move product without their father’s active marketing machine behind them.
- Runway Presence: They are increasingly being booked for shows independent of the "Diddy" name. Their growth in the high-fashion world is something to watch as they mature.
- Family Unity: As Christian Combs faces his own legal hurdles, the twins' role as the "untainted" faces of the family becomes even more crucial for the future of the Combs legacy.
The twins are 18 now. They are legal adults. They are making their own choices, for better or worse. Whether they can truly redefine the Combs name remains to be seen, but they aren't waiting for permission to try.
💡 You might also like: Anderson Cooper and the Vanderbilt Legacy: What Most People Get Wrong
To stay updated on their professional moves, you can follow their joint career updates through their social platforms or monitor the official rollout of their 12TWINTY1 fashion line.