JP/Nayu Novita

For a woman, looking beautiful and stylish isn’t difficult provided you ask for tips from the right person.

Fitria Yusuf, known as Fifi, is someone you can count on for great fashion advice.

If you’re unable to meet her, you can snitch Fifi’s knowledge by browsing the Little Pink Book: Jakarta Style & Shopping Guide (2009), which she wrote with her friend Alexandra Dewi.

In addition to reviewing where to shop for premium label from within and outside the country, Fifi shares information about where to look for vintage goods.

Confused about what clothes you should wear? Just read the chapter on choosing clothing that suits your body shape or how to take your measurements for titillating lingerie. There are also various other tips on how to look after your fashion collection, to ensure it remains in top condition.

“We have also included information about the price range of clothes sold in various boutiques. It’s often the case that boutiques in malls are designed to appear very luxurious,” Fifi said.

“This makes us feel intimidated and reluctant to stop…But who knows? The price they are asking for may actually still match our budget.”

The 27-year-old’s experience working as a fashion editor for Dewi magazine has transformed her into a walking guidebook for the fashion business.

As a fashion editor, Fifi’s task was to hunt for fashionable goods to be reviewed. Fifi thus had to explore almost all the boutiques in different corners of Jakarta to select the items she wanted to display in the magazine.

“After the magazine was published, I often received phonecalls from friends who wanted to know where they could buy these goods.”

And because she knew how hard it was for her was to find the goods without any advice, she decided to collect all this information into one book.

But Fifi first had to wrestle with her other obsession: owning her own boutique.

In 2006, Fifi focused on setting up Ivy Boutique, which has become one of the top shopping spot for socialites in Jakarta.

Fifi sources most of the boutique’s collection from the US, although the shop also carries goods from
London and Australia.

“Clothes from the US fit the body shapes of Indonesians perfectly as they come in shapes and sizes,”
she said.

“Clothes from France or Italy tend to be too small.”

Fifi’s favorite designers include Gareth Pugh, Alaia, Rick Owens and Givenchy, as well as Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana’s vintage designs. Her personal style is provocative, sexy and androgynous.


Last year Fifi founded Twinkle Twinkle, an accessory label that specializes in adding crystal decorations to women’s favorite objects, such as BlackBerrys, cell phones, laptops and mirrors.

The goods are promoted by word of mouth and through Facebook. Her accessory label is now marketed in Singapore and Malaysia.

Fifi’s love of fashion began when she was still in elementary school. She liked flipping through her mother’s magazines, lingering over the fashion pages and all the models posing in colorful clothes.

“One thing that also made me fall in love with fashion is the fact that it is not monotonous and always changes… Different trends make fashion an interesting industry to be part of, reflecting the changes taking place in the world,” she said.

When it comes to her clothes, Fifi likes buying basic pieces in solid and neutral shades, like black and white, as they are easy to match.

If she has no special functions to attend, she prefers wearing shorts or jeans, with a T-shirt or a shirt.

And she loves collecting lingerie, especially the labels Coco de Mer, Agent Provocateur and Kiki de Montparnasse.

“For basic lingerie I love the label Cosabella. Meanwhile, my favorite shape wear is from the Yummie Tummie and Nearly Nude labels, which create a streamline effect. For me, choosing the right underwear is essential,” she said.

Fifi was crowned as ambassador at the Jakarta Fashion Week 2009 event, together with Adinda Bakrie, Widi Wardhana, and a number of other fashion icons in Jakarta.

Lingerie is a fashion essential that has a special place in Fifi’s heart. Apart from updating the contents of her book every year and expanding the marketing of Twinkle Twinkle, one of Fifi’s future ambitions is to establish an online boutique that specializes in women’s lingerie.

“In Jakarta it’s hard to find a place that sells good lingerie. The feeling is that there’s no place that has a complete underwear collection,” said Fifi, who is married to businessman Henry Honoris.
“Looking for a strapless bra and a good quality corset is very difficult.”

Fifi also wants to branch out into sexy lingerie and erotic toys. 


But isn’t she afraid people might accuse her of promoting pornography?

“Ha, ha, ha... Frankly, no. It’s not a sex shop, but simply part of a collection of boutiques. I have already started offering them on Facebook.”

And apparently there’s quite a lot of demand too.

Fifi has a good head for business too, as she also works for a mining services company owned by her family and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Fifi’s tips for dressing well are simple. Dress according to your body type, whether it is shaped like an apple, a pear, or is boyish.

Trendy or expensive clothes will not look good if they cannot highlight your strengths and neutralize your body’s weaknesses, she said. And wear your clothes confidently.

“Although our appearance may be perfect, if we are not confident, or walk while looking down and feeling uncomfortable with our own appearance, then all efforts to look beautiful will be a waste of time.”

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