Lady Gaga discussed Christmas and New York with WWD at the launch of Gaga’s Workshop,  the fifth-floor boutique at Barneys New York.

WWD: Do you have a particular favorite item in Gaga’s Workshop?
L.G.: The hair bows. I love the hair bows. I also very much love the cookies and the chocolate McQueen armadillo heels. And this stocking right here, I love so much. The stiletto stocking?

WWD: What’s on your Christmas list this year?
L.G.: I already got it. I’m going to be with my family. I had a wonderfully successful year with “Born This Way.” And I got my first ever custom Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld.

WWD: Is this what you’ll be wearing to the unveiling tonight as well?
L.G.: This is what I’ll be wearing, and I think I also would like to be cremated in it. Is that your headline?

WWD: How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus?
L.G.: I still believe in Santa. He’s for sure around. He and the Easter Bunny. I’ve hung out with them and Jesus Christ a few times.

WWD: Oh, you have? What was the conversation like?
L.G.: They’re just all really good friends. They all do good things for humanity.

“It was taken out of my own blood sample so it’s a sense of having me on your skin”‘Gaga talking about her soon to be released perfume.

“That is in the perfume but it doesn’t smell like that: Actually the perfume smells like an expensive hooker.”

The Stranger’s Child…..by Alan Hollinghurst

This has had rave reviews! From the Man Booker Prize-winning author of The Line of Beauty: a magnificent, century-spanning saga about a love triangle that spawns a myth, and a family mystery, across generations.

In the late summer of 1913, George Sawle brings his Cambridge schoolmate-a handsome, aristocratic young poet named Cecil Valance-to his family’s modest home outside London for the weekend. George is enthralled by Cecil, and soon his sixteen-year-old sister, Daphne, is equally besotted by him and the stories he tells about Corley Court, the country estate he is heir to. But what Cecil writes in Daphne’s autograph album will change their and their families’ lives forever: a poem that, after Cecil is killed in the Great War and his reputation burnished, will become a touchstone for a generation, a work recited by every schoolchild in England. Over time, a tragic love story is spun, even as other secrets lie buried-until, decades later, an ambitious biographer threatens to unearth them.

Rich with Hollinghurst’s signature gifts-haunting sensuality, delicious wit and exquisite lyricism-The Stranger’s Child is a tour de force: a masterly novel about the lingering power of desire, how the heart creates its own history, and how legends are made.

$15 Publisher: Knopf (October 11, 2011) Amazon.com

Intimate Chanel…. by Isabelle Fiemeyer, Foreword by Gabrielle Pallasse-Labrunie, Photographed by Francis Hammond.

Yes, it’s another book about Coco Chanel. But you can never be too thin, too rich or have too much Chanel.
‘The most personal account of the life and work of legendary designer Coco Chanel ever told. Coco Chanel’s life and work have been recounted often in print and film-everything except the details of her most private self: her fondness for symbolism and poetry, the men she loved, her family, and in particular her nephew Andre Palasse, whom she raised like a son. His daughter Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie–goddaughter to both Chanel and the Duke of Westminster and Chanel’s only direct descendant–enjoyed a close-knit relationship with the designer for more than forty years. In this biography, she opens her doors and shares personal memories of her great-aunt.
This work–divided into five chronological parts, including Chanel’s dark periods–plunges the reader into the private world of Chanel, offering intimate insight. Photographs of Chanel’s personal effects, many of which have never before been seen or published, include presents from her great love Boy Capel, furniture, favorite jewelry, talismans, clothes, family photographs, rare documents, correspondence, and books with personal inscriptions.
In Intimate Chanel, Palasse-Labrunie discloses all that was “important” to her great-aunt and recounts their private conversations, unveiling who her “Auntie Coco” really was: a Chanel who was very different from her public persona.

$37.80 Publisher: Flammarion (September 13, 2011) Amazon.com

This week FiFi’s top ten is all about beach dressing : Shall we call it resort dressing to make it sound even more glamorous? It’s a mix of fabulous cheap but chic pieces back with a few more expensive investments. But who doesn’t want a Missoni stripe beach bag? I have chosen a lovely mix of blue and orange with a dash of watermelon and white. All the colours work together or back with black or white. LOVE! Now if we could just get the weather to improve..

The beach basket:
The chicest thing to take to the beach has to be a French Market Basket . I love this fabulous one from Simon Johnson. It’s “hand woven in Morocco using palm fronds” with leather handles. You can toss everything in from Books, Vogues, sunscreen, water, towel and ipod. It’s what all the French carry to the plage. And when it gets too heavy you can just ask George Clooney to carry it. He loves anything stylish. It’s perfect to take to the markets when you are in the south of France. As you do.$46.20 simonjohnson

The sunglasses:
I think it’s always great to have a pair of sunglasses on hand to take to the beach which are not too jooshie. Snazzy. Or expensive. You want to be able to trash them a little with sand and seawater. You don’t want to fret too much as you would with your new Miu Miu Noirs from Sunglass Hut. Which is why I love these lovely Le Specs in a colour called blush. Which you will when everyone says how chic you look. You see sunglasses with a clear or beige frame are the coolest. And what’s great about this pretty shade is that it’s very flattering against the skin. You will look glamorous. Oh and they might keep the sun out of your eyes. Le Specs Runaways in Blush. $59.95 Generalpants.com.au

The sandals:
If you are a fashionista then you know that K. Jaques are THE sandal to wear. Darling, everyone from Cap D’Antibes to St Tropez wear them. So simple. So chic. So beautifully made. LOVE.  Which is why these gorgeous sandals have sold out online at Net a Porter already. http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/101830 My point? You need to know what’s actually cool. And hip. And Chic. Dags be gone. So please don’t cry. Put down that bottle of gin and stop hyperventilating. You shall go the ball. You shall be groovy. Head toute suite to Shopbop for a fabulous selection of K Jaques. From about $250. Free shipping in 3 days. Shut up. If you can’t quite stretch the budget then head to Payless ( yes, for $39 you can kill them for that price) or Wittner who both have fabulous T bar sandals.

The Beach bag:
If there are rules for living a chic life then rule #1 is to own and cherish anything Missoni. It could be a towel, a scarf, a dress or it could be the perfect stripe beach bag. DIVINE. I love and adore and want to kiss this stripe bag. It’s so perfect for the beach or just to use every day.  It’s just the right size for carrying around in the crook of your arm. All those colours in the stripes means it will work with whatever you choose to throw on. Anyway who will notice what you are wearing when all eyes will be on this tote? Yes, please. It’s $345 but it will last forever. A classic that will never date.from Spenceandlyda.com.au

The Kaftan:
I love the store “Tree of life”. It’s cheap but chic heaven. You can get your entire beach holiday wardrobe right here without spending more than $200. That would include Indian Kaftans, dresses and this gorgeous red/orange/watermelon tie dye cotton hoodie. Isn’t fabulous? Purrrfect for the beach or pool. It’s long enough to cover the muffin legs and to give good sun coverage. Then when you have tatty, ratty, skanky beach hair just pull up the hood, pop on your Le Specs sunglasses, grab your Missoni bag and start sauntering along in your K. Jaques sandals.  The paparazzi can go for it. CHIC with a capital C. $55 Treeoflife.com

The Pants:
Sometimes you want to wear pants to the beach/pool on holidays. Jeans can get too hot. Dresses don’t always work. I love these cotton, stone washed peg leg pants from Jac and Jack. They have the perfect cut with a slouch front and a narrow ankle. Very 80’s if you can remember. Bless. The light blue is a chic colour but there is also a light grey and black. All colours work as a neutral with brights. Roll them up, show off your ankles. Wear with flats or at night with sexy heels and sequin tank layered over a white tank. They have an elasticized waist band at the back- so sneaky - so you can eat as many almond magnums as you want and not feel a thing. $260 Jacandjack.com

The Tank dress:
If there is one dress you need for casual chic dressing it’s a simple tank dress.  Toss it over the bikini. Throw it on to wear to breakfast. The great news is that this little number is knee length (On most people). It has a higher scoop neckline so it gives a bit of cleavage coverage. I like the twisted seams and, what they call, a ragged raw edge. All adds up to be one cool little number. It’s not super slinky but it won’t give you that -pregnant-I’m-having-twins-look either. When you’re not. It’s pre- shrunk and machine washable too. Just like you. Oh and it’s in lots of great colours as well. $120 Bassike.com

Bensimon Classic Lace Up sneakers:
Today’s FiFi Report is all about chic classics to wear on holidays or to the beach. It’s about low key, stylish dressing. What the French call ‘insouciance.’ You know : that paired down and very clean, simple look that seems thrown together and effortless.  The Bensimon sneaker is the coolest. Up there with Petit Bateau. It’s all you need for summer. Throw on with a summer dress, with shorts or chinos. Everything you own. Go crazy with bright colours (  They come in amazing shades as you can see here. )  Buy online at at Shopbop.com for $61.08. You also can buy them at Seed.

The Hat:
You need a hat for the beach. You need to wear a hat in summer in Australia. End of story. You can always tell the tourists on the beach because they’re the ones who are bright orange. And Hat-less. Thank god hats are back in fashion. The trilby style may not always have a wide enough brim but at least you will get some coverage. And a few less wrinkles. I love a chic white panama hat. The ones I spied at Stand Hatters seemed to be big enough to give good shade. The lovely hand woven straw hats from Ecuador are great and always seem to bounce back into shape. Plus there are 12 styles to choose from. From $160. You can also try Seed where this is a cute one for $59 or try Hammockheaven.com.au where the Panama hats are $79.

The Sweat Tee:
We all need a tee top or something to throw on when it gets a bit chilly on the beach or yacht. You want this little sweat tee from Country Road in white (Which I love but it doesn’t look so good on the page) or in this groovy red. It’s very Flash Dance. Who knew that look would ever come back? Now that it is I quite like the look. Wear it pulled off the shoulder. Go for a size that’s bigger because it will still look great when it’s loose and slouchy. Or try it small and neat. Wear it over a long sleeve tee with jeans or chinos. Try it with a cute cargo skirt or shorts or just throw it over a tank dress. Perm and aerobics dance competition optional $59.95 Countryroad.com.au

Creamed Sago with Palm Sugar, Mango, Papaya and Mint
You can serve this as a beautiful healthy breakfast or as a divine dessert. Perfect for a lovely summer Sunday lunch. You can make the sago ahead and then just chop up the fruit before serving. Feel free to add blueberries and strawberries and any other fruit that takes your fancy….. adulterated from Neil Perry in Good weekend

You need for 2 big blokes, 4 chic fashionistas or 45 models
300g sago, rinsed well
60ml coconut cream …plus extra to serve
Pinch of sea salt
Ripe mango and papaya, cut into chunks
Handful mint leaves, finely sliced
Squeeze lime juice
Palm Sugar Syrup
100g palm sugar, crushed or brown sugar
80ml water

• Slip into your new Chloe Kaftan.
• Climb into new Prada wedges.
• Pour a gin and tonic. It’s summer. Somewhere in the world.
• Best to make the palmsugar syrup first: so throw the palm sugar and water in small heavy pot.
• Stir it over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved ( just like the fat on your hips will do when you eat this.)
• Then increase the heat and simmer the goo for about 1 minute then set aside to cool and let it have some alone time.
• Neil says that “Any left-over will keep in the fridge indefinitely, but may set in the fridge.”
• Now time to cook the sago so bring a large pot of water to the boil. You can do it. You can.
• Now toss in the sago and whisk it frequently for about 12-15 minutes: think of the calories you’ll burn with all that wrist action.
• Cook until the sago granules are as completely transparent as a Versace dress.
• Pour another Gin and Tonic just to keep yourself the right mood. Who cares if it’s before breakfast?
• Now ask George Clooney to pull his finger out and stop reading the paper and to drain the sago through a fine sieve. He can then rinse it under cold running water ( so that it removes any excess starch: the less starch the better).
• Throw the cooked sago in with 60ml of coconut cream and salt and mix it up.
• Then drizzle through as much of the palm sugar syrup as you feel like. More is sweeter.
• Chop up the mango, papaya and mint ( and any other fruit you have).
• Divide it into chic glass bowls, then drizzle over some more coconut cream.
• Accessorise with the pretty pieces of mango, some mint and slices of papaya and squeeze some lime over the top.
• Divine !