Barneys New York Announces Its Holiday 2011 Campaign: GAGA’S WORKSHOP!

The legendary department store, Barneys New York, announced that its Holiday 2011 campaign will be GAGA’S WORKSHOP. The holiday campaign will be a unique collaboration between Lady Gaga and renowned creative talents of artists Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson of Assume Vivid Astro Focus (AVAF), and Mugler Creative Director and Lady Gaga Fashion Director, Nicola Formichetti, to create Lady Gaga’s interpretation of the iconic Santa’s Workshop (I can only imagine what Gaga thinks Santa's workshop looks like).

Starting in mid-November, GAGA’S WORKSHOP will be brought to life throughout the fifth floor of the Men’s Store and the store’s iconic Madison Avenue windows. This will be the first time EVER that Barneys New York will convert an entire floor of its Madison Avenue flagship for their holiday initiative.

“Lady Gaga is a rare cultural phenomenon, not only because of her exceptional talents as a singer, songwriter and performer, but also with regard to her support of equality and individuality and status as a fashion icon,” said Mark Lee, Barneys New York CEO. “Partnering with her in this unprecedented collaborative way to create the largest and most all-encompassing holiday theme that Barneys has ever mounted is a thrill. As a New York City landmark, we wanted to celebrate Lady Gaga as a fellow New Yorker and amazing talent.”

Working with the Barneys New York team under the direction of Creative Director, Dennis Freedman, AVAF has designed the signature artwork for GAGA’S WORKSHOP (shown above) which will be featured on special holiday shopping bags and packaging. AVAF’s work will be seen throughout GAGA’S WORKSHOP in the Madison Avenue flagship store and windows, as well as through the various materials and products.

Barneys New York has also worked closely with Lady Gaga under the creative direction of Nicola Formichetti to design a range of exclusive, small gift items, which will be available for a limited time only at GAGA’S WORKSHOP. In addition to GAGA’S WORKSHOP in New York, a selection of items from the collection will also be available at Barneys New York locations nationwide and online at Barneys.com.

Barneys New York will donate 25% of sales from all items featured in GAGA’S WORKSHOP to a charity of Lady Gaga’s choice in honor of this special program and in the spirit of the holiday season.

I think that this is a very smart move for Barneys New York. It seems like anything that Gaga touches these days turns to glitter and gold. People are saying that the reason that Vogue saw sales go up while other magazines saw them go down was because Gaga was on the cover. We know that Barneys New York is going to be about two times as packed as it usually is during the holidays because all of Gaga's little monsters are going to make a pilgrimage to see Gaga's Workshop and buy out everything that is involved with this project.

I am hoping for a special blogger's preview of this project that is sure to be holiday eye candy sweeter than a candy cane (or disco stick). It would be nice to be able to show OJ&B's guys and gals the wonder of GAGA's WORKSHOP sans heads with large lace hats and bows in all of my shots.

Congrats to Gaga and Barneys on this exciting collaboration! All I can really think of is how I hope they just have Gaga's Christmas Tree song on repeat in her Workshop! Think about it. Barneys please let your add for this be "The only place you'll want to be is underneath our Christmas Tree... Our Christmas Tree's delicious."