•"Everything I buy is vintage and smells funny. Maybe that’s why I don’t have a boyfriend". Lucy Liu demonstrates that it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you’re dressed that counts. http://www.harpersbazaar.com
• "Though not technically world-class competitors, these ladies are going head-to-head in a sport of their own, smiling prettily for rabid photographers while wearing vertiginous heels for hours on end without breaking a sweat — and have the well-toned gams and deltoids to prove it. We’d like to see Michael Phelps try that." – WomensWearDaily on the super high heels and complicated dresses starlets negotiate while posing for photographers.
• "If those little girls slept with as many men as they say in the tabloids, why, their little butts would have more fingerprints than the FBI!" Dolly Parton on Britney, Paris and Lindsay. They smell funny.
• "it’s not that I don’t eat. I eat." Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe on being skinny
• " I had coffee and a grapefruit" Rachel Zoe on what she had to eat ALL day. In fashion coffee is counted as eating
• "It gets a little crowded at the bar." Brad Pitt on Angelina’s difficulty trying to breastfeed twins simultaneously. Hic!
• "I wake up in the middle of the night and I think I’m being filmed.” Lauren Conrad from the Hills. …So does Paris Hilton.

I will let you in on a little Fashion secret: Riccardo Tisci from Givenchy is the new Guru. Quietly transforming the Designer house of Givenchy into the label of cool. If you can’t pay those designer prices you can get the look. For a start dress in head to toe black. Oh, You were doing that already? To show off any fabulous jewellery you need a simple, one colour canvas. You want a look that says look at Moi. But you don’t want to look like Kath Day Knight. Or Kim. Breathe in some gulps of oxygen and climb up onto those wedges. Strut. Scowl. Look very Goth. Stumble and stagger off to Diva and throw on layers and layers of gold chain necklaces. You are now the height of cool.

$27 Gold chain necklaces from Diva stores

I Know. I know. The item du jour each week seems to be shoes, shoes, shoes. Why change? We love shoes. Mimco have just launched their shoe collection. Online. Which means you can be a lazy slut and not even get out of bed to go shoe shopping. Or bag shopping. Or jewellery shopping. It’s like winning gold at The Olympics. Isn’t that the best thing you have heard all week?  Shoes. I want an Achilles heel. Now.
$499 Achilles heel from Mimco.com.au

You are cold.
You need warming up.
You need to apply the ModelCo Heat Caps.
Little single dose, individual capsules bursting with a deep cleansing exfoliating mask.
They are self heating.
All you do is simply rip open the packet.
A little tricky to do when you are shivering violently with Chanel gloves on.
Wet your face with water. Apply the face mask.
Suddenly heat hits your face like a warm Dior face washer.
Magical.
Rub it in but don’t let it dry.
They say it will open pores and cleanse deeply, removing impurities and leaving your skin feeling soft and nourished
I say my skin feels so soft and moisterised.
I look like Angelina Jolie.

Tip: The individual one dose caps are perfect for traveling.
Another tip: For extra warmth apply your Burberry Heap cap before you head out.

ModelCo Heat Caps Exfoliating Mask $26.

• The September issue of US Vogue has Keira Knightley on the cover..above left
• Rachel Zoe is photo shopped from a Size 0 to 8 with a little help from US Harpers Bazaar. They added the smile as well. (above middle)
• The newly redesigned issue of Interview magazine has Kate Moss on the cover of the upcoming September issue. Design Guru Fabien Baron is the one responsible for the new look. He is a genius.
• Check out fabulous shots of Tilda swinton in W magazine photographed by Photographed by Juergen Teller and Styled by Camilla Nickerson www.wmagazine.com
• ‘Domino magazine’s September issue is all about fashion and features a majestic room in Matthew Williamson’s home on the cover. Other stories explore Vanessa Bruno’s Paris apartment, the late Yves Saint Laurent’s lush Majorelle Gardens in Marrakesh and Michael Bastian’s New York City apartment. This month’s "My Favorite Room" section includes Luisa Beccaria at home in Milan, Francisco Costa in his garden in Bellport, NY, Sonia Rykiel in her living room in Paris and Christian Louboutin in his bedroom in Portugal. .. reports www.dominomag.com
• Revlon have brought on Tamara Mellon to the Board of Directors..reports WWD
• Phoebe Philo may finally be ready to come back into the designer spotlight. The former Chloe creative director, who has laid low since resigning from the French label in 2005, is reportedly in talks with Celine. An announcement could come as early as September, with Phoebe’s first Celine collection bowing in March 2009′..reports WWD.
• ‘NBC is developing a half-hour comedy about female tycoons from "Bergdorf Blondes" author Plum Sykes and producer Charlie Corwin. "Mogulettes," which Sykes is penning with scribe Amy Harris will center on jet-setting twentysomething women who have already become captains of industry’..reports Variety
•The September issue of US Harper’s Bazaar not only features Tyra Banks in the imagined role of First Lady, it also has world’s top designers live out their fantasies. Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Donna Karan, Donatella Versace, Alessandra Facchinetti, Giorgio Armani, Alber Elbaz, Rodarte’s Laura and Kate Mulleavy and Roberto Cavalli were all asked to get into character as something other than a designer….Karl as a rapper’…reports Fashionweekdaily
• ‘Spanish fast-fashion chain Mango is sticking with its celebrity design team of Penélope and Mónica Cruz for fall. The company has also tapped photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott to shoot the collection’s campaign again. Alas and Piggott also shot the Elizabeth Hurley for Mango campaign alongside shooting fall ads for labels including Armani Jeans, Miu Miu and Donna Karan’….reports WWD
• Stella McCartney opened her first store in India last week, in Bangalore. The 1,600-square-foot space is at 1 Vittal Mallya Road at the center of the city. reports WWD

"The Rachel Zoe Project "
See the preview of "The Rachel Zoe Project" …… she is so ‘bananas amazing’….and comes out with outrageous lines like " I could just die.  You could just throw me in my coffin right nowwith this on and I would die" It debuts on TV in the US on Sept. 8.

The Carla Bruni Interview
Check out the Barbara Walters interview with Carla bruni …. and the fillers, collagen, and botox.

•“The whole Netherlands Olympic team has been unaccounted for the past three days according to Dutch media. Poor visibility has been blamed for the tragic disappearance of the whole Dutch Olympic team consisting of 234 athletes and participating support staff. They were last seen arriving at the Olympic village by coach but were soon engulfed in the dense smog. Apparently the city has regular "blue sky" days once every twenty years — the last one being on June 12th 1989.” Reports the satirical website Thedailsquib
•John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston are dunzo. Over. Kapput. Surprise.
•Kate Hudson fed her son icecream.
•Ashley Olsen fed her sister water.
•Reese and Jake are still kissing this time in Morocco
•Adrian Grenier and Isabel Lucas have split after she was in a car crash with Shia LaBeouf. Dead meat.
•Rachel Hunter is marrying her toyboy.
• Sienna Miller’s ex, Rhys Ifans, and Jude Law’s former fling, Kimberly Stewart, are still kissing

• Katie Holmes is still trapped in a marriage with Tom. “I attended a star studded celebrity dinner last week and witnessed the harrowing cry for help from Mrs Tom Cruise. I sat next to Katie and I knew something was very wrong when she started to write the words "Help Me" on her plate with pieces of Foie Gras".…reports thedailsquib
• Hayden Panettiere ’s parents are downplaying dad Alan’s arrest for spousal abuse. "It was all a big misunderstanding," he and his wife said. She hit him and he hit her back
• Peaches Geldof tied the knot with her rocker boyfriend in Vegas. Give it 4 weeks.
• Model Agyness Deyn and Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr are tying the knot.
•‘Barack Obama is perceived as too intelligent and too remote by American voters. His campaign leaders have now ordered him to bulk up around the waist. They say Obama’s slim physique is a liability in a nation of overweight, dumb, lazy couch-potato voters" reprots thedailysquib
•Casey Aldridge, the father of Jamie Lynn Spears’ baby was sleeping with another woman while Jamie Lynn was pregnant. His mistress was 28-year-old Kelli Dawson “You can almost smell her Marlboro breath from here” says thesuperfical

Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire ….by Amanda Foreman
The film is about to be released starring Kiera Knightly..it’s time to read the book before the movie…
‘Georgiana Spencer was, in a sense, an 18th-century It Girl. She came from one of England’s richest and most landed families and married into another. She was beautiful, sensitive, and extravagant–drugs, drink, high-profile love affairs, and even gambling counted among her favorite leisure-time activities. Nonetheless, she quickly moved from a world dominated by social parties to one focused on political parties. Biographer Amanda Foreman describes astutely the mess that surrounded the personal relationships of the aristocratic subculture (Georgiana and the duke engaged for many years in a ménage à trois with Lady Elizabeth Fraser, who inveigled her way into the duke’s bed and the duchess’s heart). A must read!

$11 amazon.com Publisher: Modern Library (January 16, 2001)

The Christmas List
Edward Steichen: In High Fashion: The Conde Nast Years, 1923-1937

Edward Steichen was already a famous painter and photographer in America and abroad when, in early 1923, he was offered the most prestigious position in photography’s commercial domain: that of chief photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair. Over the next fifteen years, Steichen would produce a body of work of unequaled brilliance, dramatizing and glamorizing contemporary culture and its achievers in politics, literature, film, sport, dance, theater, opera, and the world of high fashion.
Here are iconic images of Gloria Swanson, Gary Cooper, Greta Garbo, and Charlie Chaplin as well as numerous other celebrities drawn from an archive of more than two thousand original prints. Until now, no more than a handful have been exhibited or published in book form. The photographs of the 1920s and 1930s represent the high point in Steichen’s career and are among the most striking creations of twentieth-century photography.

$48 amazon.com Publisher: W. W. Norton (October 20, 2008)

It’s a tricky time: Fashion is about to undergo a big change.
Next winter (i.e The current fashion season everywhere else in the world ) is all about minimalist, black austerity. And if it’s not black it’s about rich jewel colours. It’s also about tailoring and structure. It’s about a dark, romantic, almost Goth look. It’s about very grown up, sophisticated modern dressing. So please don’t waste your money this summer buying up the last of Boho and hippy or anything too 80’s. Unless of course, you are a hippy. Then stick to your style man. Peace.

Economy class
Table 8:
I had a little snoop around here and found a few fashion pieces at great prices. Check out :

• The very pretty light grey chiffon, round neck tunic top with an elastic hem and ¾ sleeves. $119 also in white. Lovely under a jacket and so nice with classic pants. It’s a little roomy so it won’t cling to muffin stomachs.
• Also check out the very Marni esque painterly floral sack dress. yes it is a little sack but cinch it in with a belt. It has a wide slit neckline and a black top which then dissolves into a lovely painterly floral pattern $199
• The tie dye grey soft floaty chiffon A- line top in light grey and soft pink is cool. It even has its won little fabric belt and a drape front. Tie dye is a big fashion trend which Prada started a couple seasons ago. See those Olympic Aussie uniforms were groovy after all.

Sportscraft:
It’s getting a little more fashion here too. It will always be classic but there are a few pieces that looked chic. Remember if you are weight challenged they have all sizes. Check out :

• The dark denim shirt dress with covered denim buttons all the way down the front and a self belt. It has ¾ sleeves and nice overstitching $229. wear with red shoes and throw a white long sleeve tee under it.
• The white cotton shirt with many tiny pleats at the front, a grandpa neckline and an almost peplum hem. Buy it in a big size and throw over your bikini. $129
• The very Marni inspired silk Tee top. It has a lovely round neckline with a few draped pleats and short sleeves which seem to fold under. In grey or black $149

MNG Mango:
They are still on sale but there are a few new seasons arrival: There’s a lot of very light cotton basics but ignore these. The best picks this week are:

• The faded cabbage rose print skirts in white with purple and brown flowers scattered on it, very 50’s, very Dolce Gabbana $159
• The black , sexy, ruched slinky halter neck dress with criss cross gathering on the front $149
• The cool white Tees with a prints of polaroids and collages on the front are so right under a blazer with jeans for that rock chick look. $49
• Love the black leather biker jacket with rib trim about $399. The biker jacket is still hanging in there and you will love wearing this over all your floral dresses.

Witchery:
Always great pieces to buy here. Check out ..

• The fabulous stone short trench coat. Yes, I see them everywhere but this is a very good one. It has tortoiseshell buttons and belted. You can’t live without a trench. Repeatez after me. $229
• Buy the fabulous little cream short peacoat, almost a trench that has been cut off at the hips. Double breasted with dark brown leather buttons and epaulettes it’s a must buy. $169
• Buy the gorgeous cream cropped, single breasted leather jacket. No calories. Just makes your credit card fat.
• Invest in the dark denim blazer $159: it’s your new basic. Don’t wear with jeans or you will look like Dolly Parton. Which could be a good thing if you are a country western singer.
• Love the shoes and bags especially the red patent Miu Miu inspired flats with a cross over peep toe about $149. And the black and white fabulous Chloe-esque patent sandals with a kooky triangle heel and wide straps $$.

Cue:
Lots of great piece here this week: best buys include:

• The long sleeve round neck knit sweater in grey $69: so perfect for now and wearing under all your jackets. Simple.
• The floral gold/mustard 50’s dress with an sheer black tuille netting overlay ( as reported last week) $289. it’s so lovely and you know how to wear it ( black opaques are de riguer)
• The single breasted stone, very 70’s style trench with dark overstitching and tortoiseshell buttons is chic. It has a slight puff at the shoulder which I love. It’s like a shoulder pad without one. Very marc Jacobs $$
• Buy the chic, black single breasted one button blazer which is a little longer and will cover your bottom. Just. Except if your name J.LO. Very Vanessa Bruno this is a wardrobe staple $275.
• The simple black sleeveless cotton dress with a full skirt and its own belt and round neck. Wear now with a fine knit under it and you guessed it : black opaques and serious shoes. $225
• Love the sleeveless jacket with a belt, almost a waistcoat in a black and white ticking fabric with tortoiseshell buttons. Very Proenza Schouler. $329

Business Class
Robert Burton:
I nicked in here to check out the homewares and then found my self checking out the Fashion. Very out of character. There are some gorgeous cashmere knits here from a label called Cashmere Angel. You want the :

• Simple, round neck knits with long sleeves that stop just above the elbow. Perfect for wearing right now under everything $169. Also in pale blue, black light grey, and choc brown. This will keep you warm and chic.
• The zip hoodies with a stripe lining in cashmere in grey or black $239
• The scoop neck knits with 3/4 short sleeves about $230.
• Checkout the fab Bensimon sneakers in a lot of pale and faded colours. They are so chic, so south of France. $60
• Love the Mavi jeans, and the fabulous white shift lace dress a al Chloe about $1100. By "Designers Remix Collection" - a fab Dainish label.

marc By marc Jacobs in David Jones
Check out a few cool new pieces. You want…

• The red top with hot pink trim: almost like a cami with cute little drawings of apples on the front , very YSL colours. It’s a cutaway halter with buttons down the front $359. Very summery.
• The black silk self patterned spot dress is chic: sleeveless with a wrap around front $599. Love a black dress.
• The black poloneck sweater with 6 double brass gold buttons at the front is still here begging to go home with someone to keep them warm and chic. $599
• The black shift 60’s style dress in cotton with white buttons and a square neckline is perfect for summer. Start dieting and you can fit into it. Put down that Mars Bar now. $499

Armani Jeans at David Jones:
Great quality for fabulous prices.

• Love the dark denim fitted blazer with very Thierry Mugler style lapels..so cool. I think I need it. You don’t know who Thierry Mugler is? That’s why you are reading The FiFi Report. You need help. and I am here to do it. Bless $299.
• Invest in the chic and simple Navy and white stripe Tee ( also in red and white) $176. We all need a stripe Tee. It’s like wearing a print but not going too far.
• Buy the navy skinny cotton jeans if you are. If you’re not you can remember a simple fashion rule: navy and black look divine together. $$
• Buy the black cotton bomber (or is it a short trench ?) with a belt, asym brass zip and epaulettes and chic tortoiseshell buttons $399. it’s the model uniform.
• Love the black long sleeve blouse/tunic in a sheer cotton, tres simple $299. Black is everywhere this season and next and there a lot of great pieces here.

SABA:
A lot of lovely pieces to buy now. Best buys include

• The fabulous white peacoat with black buttons also in a bright red, black and stone. $379. So chic. I know there are people out there who wear white. And keep it clean. They are out there somewhere. They are Fembots.
• The Marni style pleat front tee ( as seen in a few other stores) $179.
• Love the silk tank or Tee in a very Marni style print in a black, grey and cream . It’s a painterly print, almost A-line and very loose and pretty so it can skim over the chocolate cake sitting on the hips $179.
• The bright orange short belted trench with orange coloured buttons is just that. Very bright. Wear it skiing so you can be rescued. Or riding your bike at night. It’s a little too bright.
• So buy the chic petrol/navy bleu instead. Love it. Very French. $279
• The A-line dark denim flat front skirt is a wardrobe staple; You need it $149. That A-line style has got to do fabulous things to all shapes and to anyone feeling a litte fatty arbuckle.
• Love the black trench coat dress. Very Burberry. Very Proenza Schouler. It’s sleeveless, belted with silver buttons in a light wool. I think a light wool. Perfect for work when it’s warm enough to reveal your arms. Wear it now with a black or white long sleeve Tee under it. $329.

First class
Evelyn Miles:
Some fabulous new shoes and bags. Of course. Best picks include

• The outrageous Robert Clergerie black patent mules with a small platform and two wide straps: very Japanese looking $698.
• The relaxed and very summery Robert Clergerie black patent flat sandals with white patent ankle straps about $700.
• Good news: Sigerson Morrison have a new shoe collection called Belle. Check out the chic red pointy patent pumps with a smaller heel and a little buckle on the toe $545. Love the white Balenciaga style wide T bar sandals with a gold trim and a chunky wooden heel $550. Buy the little flats with a pointy toe in black patent Sigersonmorrison.com
• Check out the Miu Miu flat patent cross over peep toe sandals $$. Easy chic.
• The Miu Miu black patent ballet flats with snazzy matte green and black large jewels on the toe $728. Jewels are still right. Just keep everything else simple. You don’t want any other jewels fighting for attention.
• New and just arrived are the fabulous Celine heels. Love the black patent square toe heels slingbacks with a stripe zebra platform and heel $748, the plain black peep toe heels with a silver buckle $1040 and the burgundy patent strappy sandals with a wooden heels $998
• Love. love, love all the Anya Hindmarsh bags especially the grey shoulder bag $1400.
• Also check out the MiuMiu and Luella bags…All divine

Belinda Paddington.
There are a lot of gorgeous new shoes and bags. And a few are still on sale. That should make you smile. Best picks are:

• The divine Chloe Grey patent and cream with 3 wide strap heels that go up the ankle $950; Amazing
• The gorgeous Miu miu T bar gladiator patent flats $590
• The Chloe dark blue peep toe heels $$
• The Sigerson Morrison gladiator black sandals with silver trim and white trim $
• The oversized Miu Miu black bag with gold hardware and zip along the bottom about $1800
• Chloe black patent ankle strap sandals $745
• The hot pink Miu Miu peep toe $
• Buy up the Repetto ballet flats. Your feet will thank you. So will your Podiatrist.
• On sale out the back are: A fab Miu Miu caramel shoulder bag with gold zips about $1000 and
• a big oversized vintage red Miu Miu balloon bag: love it about $1100
   
  The Vanessa Bruno boutique in Paddington has just unpacked a new shipment from Paris
  Marni in Double Bay is on sale… Direct the driver straight there…

Chicken and Chorizo Hot Pot…adulterated from Cuisine.com.au

You will need for 30 models, 8 Gymnasts, 4 metrosexuals and one hungry Olympic swimmer..

8 pieces of chicken
1 fresh chorizo or spicy Italian sausage cut in 1cm pieces
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 red and 1 yellow capsicum, cut in thick slices
450g can Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped
Handful of buttons mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine Salt and pepper
3-4 fresh bay leaves
Small handful black olives (optional)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Pre-heat oven to 200C
• Pre heat yourself with a glass of wine
• Find a big baking dish that will be happy to hold all the ingredients.
• Chop up the capsicum into pieces the size of the hardwrae on a Jimmy Choo bag. Big.
• Chop the garlic very roughly. They love it.
• Put on Chanel sunglasses. Start chopping onion. Wipe away black eyeliner.
• Remember to buy waterproof mascara.
• This is very tricky: open a can of tomatoes.
• Chop up the Chorizo into chunks the size of a Givenchy wedge. Or think of an old boyfriend.
• Now throw the chicken pieces skin side up in the baking dish.
• Toss the Chorizo, garlic, onion, capsicum, tomatoes and whole mushrooms
• Pour 2 glasses of wine; one for you one for the pot.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and moisturise with olive oil. Nice, snazzy designer extra 40 yr old virgin olive oil.
• Toss it all to mix it up. You could use your hands to do this.
• Add the bay leaves and some olives if you have them.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked. Don’t taste so good when it’s raw.
• Relax back, Balenciaga wedges off and read the latest Vanity Fair.
• Pour more wine and remember to call AA tomorrow.
• Serve with lots of crunchy, crusty bread to soak up the juices and a green salad.
• Delicious with boiled potatoes or polenta.