Since Closet Couture is all about curated personal style, it was a treat to celebrate the launch of U*tique, the curated beauty vending machine at Studio at Fred Segal last night in Santa Monica.

SmartyLA founder Amy Swift (and CC member!) and I raised a antioxidant-incused-beauty-elixir-and-vodka-tinis to Mara Segal, the U*tique creator who's brilliant eye for product brings order to the chaos of beauty buying. Airia mink eyelashes, Bliss handcream, golden Chantecaille do-it-all compacts, even Envirosacs are one touch, one credit-card swipe and one robot-handled delivery away.

Take U*tique for a spin anytime; it's permanently available at Studio at Fred Segal. Your NBF, the robotic U*tique beauty butler, looks forward to seeing you. Give him a smooch from us? He was such a love. But make sure it's an air kiss… he hates to smudge.

By Melissa Poulos

It's here!!! Day 1 of the highly anticipated Coachella 3-day music extravaganza out in Indio, California has begun. The lineup this year is as hot as the weather (101 on Sunday, yikes!), and here are a few names that we're especially excited about. Can't hitch a ride out to the west coast this weekend? Check them out on Myspace Music or download some albums from iTunes. Enjoy!!

Friday:

Girl Talk: this DJ creates a virtual party on stage all with just the help of a MacBook. Don't miss the chance to dance your face off a la your friend's college dorm room + a wicked WinAmp playlist. 9pm, Sahara stage

http://www.myspace.com/girltalk

Morrissey: Ah! The enigmatic crooner and former Smith-ite is here! He's crazy and holds random babies on album covers but omg his haunting voice. If he plays “How Soon is Now?” our heads will explode. We hope he brings his gong. His appearance will be a rare treat, promise. 8:30pm, Coachella stage 

http://www.myspace.com/morrissey

Crystal Castles: Crazy Canadians who scream and you want to just dance. It's no Studio B in Greenpoint, but we bet the desert will be the perfect trippy backdrop for these dark hipsters. 6:40pm, Sahara stage http://www.myspace.com/crystalcastles

Saturday:

Blitzen Trapper: Folky mellow indie that's basically made to be listened to in the outdoors. 3:45pm, Gobi stage 

http://www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper

Glasvegas: Scottish version of the KIllers. Serious energy and serious power-pop. 6:04pm, Mojave stage 

http://www.myspace.com/glasvegas

Fleet Foxes: super mellow but alt and arty and weird all at the same time. They have a reputation for blowing minds live. 7:25pm, Outdoor stage
 http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes

Sunday:

My Bloody Valentine: if Kevin Shields doesn't piss the rest of the band members off by Sunday so they can actually play, well then we can't WAIT for these original shoegazers to play. 7:50pm, Coachella stage

 http://www.myspace.com/mybloodyvalentine

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Karen O is nuts, and she's not some dumb girl. She can really rock. Always a fun show and the new album is killer.
6:14pm, Coachella stage
 http://www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs

Late of the Pier: Dance/electro Brit kids are wise beyond their years and make a great new edition to the electropop scene. 7:25pm, Sahara stage
 http://www.myspace.com/lateofthepier

www.coachella.com

By Courtney Peterson

Inaugurated during Milan Fashion week Autumn/Winter 2009 on March 2, the Extreme Beauty In Vogue exhibit displays changing ideals of beauty throughout the 20^th century in collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana to celebrate their new makeup line.

On a recent trip to Milan, I visited the dramatic exhibition in the beautiful Palazzo della Ragione. Showcasing legendary photographers from the 1930s until today, the exhibit aims to represent the changing perceptions of the varying aesthesis and beauty. Showcasing photographers such as Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz, these photographers embody the transformations of beauty throughout the 21^st century. An incredibly thought-provoking exhibit, projected upon the frescoes is a translation of ‘Extreme Beauty’ in Latin: ‘Gloria Venustati.’ The photos speak for themselves.

Photos:

Twiggy by Richard Avedon, January 1968

Comme des Garçons by Annie Leibovitz, September 1997

Jean Patchett by Erwin Blumenfeld, January 1950

Kate Moss by Annie Leibovitz, October 1999

After a weekend of frigid temperatures and continuously busting my butt snowboarding in Mammoth, I must say that I’m ready to head down south to Austin, Texas for a few days of sun, swimming, Tex-Mex, and rock & roll. The SXSW music festival begins this Wednesday and while my sole purpose of attending is to check out the latest fashion trends, you can bet I’ll be hitting the parties and free shows to take in the music from some of my favorite bands. Here’s a list of my top 5 must-sees and a recommendation of bands you should add to your iPod now.

Chairlift: Although Chairlift started as a “project” in 2005, they are easily one of the best bands to make an impact in 2008. They’re already getting mainstream love from Columbia Records, but that doesn’t stop me from obsessing over their hit, “Planet Health.” And, vocalist Caroline Polachek has one of the most beautiful, sultry voices I’ve ever heard. Chairlift Music

Amazing Baby: When I first heard the name I was completely turned off by the music, but as my saying goes: “don’t judge a band by its cover.” This is some of the greatest rock & roll I’ve heard in a while, and I’m partial to the bass playing by my friend Don Devore formerly of The Icarus Line. http://www.myspace.com/theamazingbaby

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: ‘90s shoegaze music got me through my youth, and I still hold a special place in my heart for it. If you like Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, or any poppy bands from the early ‘90s with heartbreaking melodies and a touch of new wave, you’ll love Brooklyn-based The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

Crystal Stilts: Pitchfork Media describes their music best as “moody-sounding” and “fabulous stripped-down garage-pop.” Another Brooklyn band that I can’t stop listening to on repeat. Listen to Crystal Stilts here.

Afternoons: This LA-based 7-piece band uses just about every musical instrument that comes to mind, sounding like a cross between a full-on marching band and a circus, in a good way. I’m addicted to vocalist Claire McKeown’s spellbinding opera voice. http://myspace.com/afternoonsmusic.com

Pictured: Afternoons

Kanye West and Patti Smith? George Michael and MGMT? It was a mix of old and new hits that rang through the crowds at London Fashion Week as models strutted their stuff down the runways, some probably too young to even know who the legendary rock goddess Patti Smith is. But music doesn’t discriminate (not even in fashion!) and I must admit that I love me some George Michael and would take him over Kanye any day. Here are my top picks of songs from London’s fashion week playlist:

Christopher Kane: So far, this is my favorite collection for fall’ 09. Leave it to the brilliant, young Kane to play the soundtrack to one the greatest movies of all time, Natural Born Killers. If only Juliette Lewis made an appearance as Mallory….

Basso & Brooke: String quartet version of “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. I have never been a huge Metallica fan, but I like the idea of taking it out of its heavy metal context and making it sound like classical music.

Todd Lynn: The man played George Michael’s “Faith” – don’t you love that song? I used to sing this at the top of my lungs in elementary school without even knowing what the words meant. One of my hopes is that Wham! will someday reunite.

Danielle Scutt: If you have Kanye sitting in your front row, you have to play one of his jams. Scutt chose “Flashing Lights” which is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head and fails to leave. Thankfully, it’s a good one.

Giles Deacon: It never hurts to throw in a little post-punk at fashion week, and that’s exactly what Giles Deacon did. He played tunes from the all-girl trio known as An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. Word is that it was a little too much for a Monday night, but that makes me love it even more.

Topshop: Leave it to the most trend-worthy label to play the trendiest music. They chose MGMT, which always gets a party started.

Photos: George Michael album, Kanye West album, MGMT

By Melissa Poulos

Greg Krelenstein, member of the iconic NYC DJ-trio The Misshapes, takes a few minutes out of his busy fashion week schedule to chat with Closet Couture about what it’s like setting the runway to music. Check out misshapes.com to keep up with the hottest parties, trends and beats.

Which shows did you DJ this week?

Tony Cohen, Jen Kao, and Costello Tagliapietra

How do you decide what to play- do you see the collection first, or does the designer give you an idea of what they want? How does that process work?

It’s a combination of what the designers want and what we want. The designer gives us the direction or the song list, and we make the mix- usually with our own ideas mixed in.

Sometimes I want to teach the models a little rhythm, you know what I mean? Do you ever talk to the models about how to work their walk into the beat?

No, but I wish!

Are you playing any fashion week parties? What do you prefer, doing a show or a party?

Yes we’re doing Rad Harani, a cool Toronto designer – parties and shows are totally different but we started in the club, so I like doing the parties…

Whose clothes are you most looking forward to seeing this week?

Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of NY Fashion Week for Men, so I’m going to say the cliché of what’s always cool: Marc Jacobs and now Alex Wang.

Whose show do you dream of playing?

Ann Demeulemeester or Rick Owens

I actually heard you play Crystal Castles – who I love – at the Costello show last Friday. Any favorites or new discoveries on your iPod lately?

I love White Lies, the new Lily Allen record, Little Boots, and La Roux

The Misshapes Greg Krelenstein pictured center

Last Saturday at the tents in Bryant Park designers and celebrities gathered together with budding fashionistas of a much more tender age to fete the 50th birthday of that style icon better known as Barbie. While sadly not every young fan made it past the velvet ropes to join a listers like Heidi Klum and Diane Von Fustenburg inside, Barbie creator Mattel certainly threw a sugary sweet bash for those in attendance. Not only did the birthday girl look remarkably well preserved, she also had 50 designers create looks for her special day, proving in play land a girl’s dreams can always come true.

The show exhibited three versions of Barbie: classic, modern and future. Her looks ranged from retro glamour and grace, to modern elegance and beauty, to rock’ n’rolla funk and fun. And, of course, there was plenty of pink befitting the plastic blonde bombshell! Longtime Barbie designer Bob Mackie’s golden goddess costume was a smash with the crowd and had special sentimental value for the occasion. Our favorites included a whimsical pink butterfly creation from Koi Suwannagate, two delicate and lovely pale pink gowns from Marchesa and Monique Lhuillier, and a sexy black and white sequined bathing suit covered artfully by an edgy version of the classic trench, created by Rachel Roy. The designers all agreed that Barbie was an inspiration for American women throughout the generations and dressing her was a childhood fantasy realized on the runway.

And while Barbie may still have her share of critics, who lament her unrealistic frame and materialistic tendencies, the imagination and playfulness of the show certainly provided a breath of fresh air and fun. The designers presented Barbie as a girl who has the confidence to celebrate her femininity and enjoy a bit of glamour while pursuing any dream her heart desires. We can all appreciate that message of independence and optimism in these uncertain times. After all, Ken’s still looking sharp after all these years, but Barbie hardly needs any arm candy.

By Perrine Meistrell

Photos by: Victoria Will

There may be plenty of things for New Yorkers to complain about right now, but I have to say, there are a few things that are going our way; rent prices are dropping, reservations are a breeze and of course this week marks the beginning of New York Fall Fashion week. Yes, yes, we have all heard that there will be fewer parties and that Marc is cutting his list in half, but there is still plenty to get excited about this season. Here are a few events to get you started:

More Bang for Your Buck: Designers Nicholas K., Mara Hoffman, and Sergio Davila are combining forces and showing at one location – this is sure to be worth the trip.

Nesting Anyone? : Tuleh designer Bryan Bradley has taken his design talent into the home; Bradley will be launching his new interiors collection at the New York Design Center on February 15th.

Two New Ones to Watch: Prabal Gurungy and Bibhu Mohapatra have both put in years of training with top designers after training at FIT and are ready to make their debut.

Store Openings: Matthew Williamson (one of my personal fav’s) is opening his first New York store in the Meatpacking district; a light installation, tropical garden and “hidden rooms” makes this store a must visit for fashion week. Armani will be celebrating the opening of their new 5th Avenue flagship store which will house all the collections – should be an amazing site!

By Melissa Poulos

The NYC winter has been a brutal one this time around; I’ve been waiting for something to look forward to. So I was thrilled when both the Coachella AND Bonnaroo line-ups broke this week. Both music festivals look awesome this year, but you’ll have to tailor your packing strategies for each: Coachella’s a slightly cushier fest in Palm Springs while Bonnaroo’s a little less “La Quinta” and a little more “camp-out” in Tennessee. Either way, it’s gonna be a hot one…

Start loading up your iPod in anticipation. Here are some highlights (in my opinion), but decide for yourself by following these links to the full line-ups:

Coachella (April 17^th-19^th)

http://www.coachella.com/event/lineup

Friday: Crystal Castles, Girl Talk, Morrissey, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings

Saturday: Band of Horses, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, Glasvegas, Liars, Junior Boys, The Killers, TV On The Radio

Sunday: Friendly Fires, Lupe Fiasco, My Bloody Valentine, No Age, Okkervil River, Public Enemy, The Cure, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Bonnaroo (June 11^th-14^th)

http://www.bonnaroo.com/artists.aspx

The Boss, Phish, Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Wilco, Snoop, Elvis Costello, Paul Oakenfold, TV On the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Andrew Bird, MGMT, Girl Talk, Bon Iver, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Animal Collective, Santogold, Grizzly Bear, Crystal Castles, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

An 80s Revival (the 70s, too): Feeling nostalgic for the New York of yore? Now open at the Palm Springs Art Museum, a retrospective of Robert Maplethorpe portraits features icons of the me decade–including William Burroughs, Grace Jones, Paloma Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Marianne Faithfull.

East meets West: Opening today, the first special exhibition to go up in LACMA's Renzo Piano-designed Broad Contemporary Art Museum, Art of Two Germanys takes a closer look at the divergent modern and post-modern practices of Eastern and Western Germany during the Cold War.

Choo Talks: Thursday, Jimmy Choo founder and president Tamara Mellon will be on hand at the London College of Fashion for The Sunday Times Style Lecture, moderated by Colin McDowell.

Heading Down Under?: While you're checking out the Australian Open, skip on over to Auckland, New Zealand, for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, a three-week match race of America's Cup Class yachts, beginning January 30th.

“Robert Maplethorpe: Portraits,” at the Palm Springs Art Musuem, now open. www.psmuseum.org.

“Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures,” at BCAM, opening today. www.lacma.org.

The Sunday Times Style Lecture featuring Tamara Mellon, at the London College of Fashion, January 29th, www.timesonline.co.uk.

Image: Robert Maplethorpe, Paloma Picasso, 1980.