Leave it to Sofia Coppola and Madonna to bring the powdered wigs and the sumptuous decorative glory of the 18th century back into fashion. Coppola plans to make a movie out of Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette: The Journey. And Madonna is unearthing the corset again for her upcoming tour. On the decorative front, Ralph Lauren has created gold-plated flatware for his home collection, and Philippe Starck was inspired by Louis XV in his work for Baccarat and Kartell. Au revoir, finally, to minimalism.

The Art of Seduction
In the days of luxury-loving Marie Antoinette, seduction revolved around seriously sexy decorative objects and accessories like daybeds, tea services and fans. Many of those objects and more than 30 elaborate 18th century costumes will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century" starting on April 29. The exhibition, curated by Harold Koda and Andrew Bolton, explores the interplay of dress and decorative arts in France from 1750 to 1789. It was inspired by Jean-Francois de Bastide, author of the erotic novella The Little House. He believed seriously expensive and elaborate furniture and clothing were not meant to be just aesthetic eye candy; they were also used as tools of seduction. Is the snuffbox the next must-have accessory?