Nicole Richie fires her stylist, Rachel Zoe

Could this be the beginning of the end of Rachel Zoe's career? The celebrity stylist has been dismissed by one of her clients, Nicole Richie, reports Us Weekly. Zoe had been working for Richie for two years and is widely considered responsible for Richie's transformation from trashy to tasteful. The pair, who were good friends, were often photographed together at events and had even started looking like one another.

A source close to Nicole claims that the starlet fired Rachel because she "wanted to surround herself with positive people and influences." Another friend revealed, "Nicole didn't trust Rachel anymore. Zoe didn't take the news well." Rachel's rep denied that there was any bad blood between Rachel and Nicole.

Since gaining high-profile clients, like Lindsay Lohan, Kate Beckinsale and Keira Knightley, Zoe's star has skyrocketed and she has become a contributor to the fashion sections of Cosmopolitan and Us Weekly. She also designed her own line of handbags for Judith Leiber. Perhaps tarnishing Rachel's reputation is the fact that she has been pegged as the subject of several blind items about a stylist that provides drugs to her clients along with their clothing. Nicole is widely known to be a recovering drug addict.

Richie has enlisted Christina Ehrlich has Zoe's temporary replacement. Christina will select Nicole's apparel for her appearance at tonight's American Music Awards, where Nicole will introduce her father, Lionel. Ehrlich's other clients include Jessica Biel and Penelope Cruz.

By Kate Lanahan posted time [ 7:46 PM]