Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe Engage in War of Words  11/29/06

Socialite Nicole Richie and her former stylist Rachel Zoe are trading barbs after The Simple Life star fired Zoe as her stylist earlier this month (NOV06).

Richie, 25, posted a thinly veiled message on her MySpace webpage on Monday (27NOV06), accusing a former employee of having an eating disorder.

The post said, "Blind Item: What 35-year-old raisin face whispers her order of 3 peices (sic) of asparagus for dinner at Chateau (Marmont) every night, and hides her deathly disorder by pointing the finger at me, and used her last paycheck I wrote her to pay for a publicist (sic) instead of a nutritionist?

Hint: Her nickname is lettucecup..."

Meanwhile, Zoe, 35, issued the following statement to entertainment website

TMZ: "There has been a lot of speculation as to the cause of my parting with client Nicole Richie. The tabloid reports have no merit. After trying to be a good friend to Nicole, we made a mutual decision to sever our working relationship.

"I have nothing but love for Nicole and wish her only health and happiness."