On Monday evening, hordes of fans watched Lady Gaga grace Madison Avenue's Barneys flagship store in a custom Chael Eliza Doolittle-worthy dress, hoop-skirt and all. The occasion: a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her outlandish Workshop, which opened its doors at 11:59pm. As you might expect, it was a scene that drew a rambunctious collective of determined young fans, infamous transvestites, fashion personalities, and celebrities from different parts of the pop cultural map. Nicola Formichetti, Blake Lively, Alan Cumming, and designers Prabal Gurung and Alexander Wang all came out to shop Gaga's wonky wares early, including our new workshop item of choice: the Linda Farrow Mickey Mouse shades, of "Paparazzi" fame, retailing for $425.
It's hard to imagine Lady Gaga in her PJs, sitting around a Christmas tree with the family opening presents. But Mother Monster is quite old-fashioned when it comes to Christmas traditions!
Lady Gaga spills the beans on the family's festive traditions, telling WWD:
My mom and dad used to leave cookies out for Santa. My sister and I would run down the stairs in the morning and Santa would always take a couple bites of the cookie, but he’d leave a little bit. He would drink all of the milk. There would be presents waiting for us. My mom would make a quiche and we would hang out all morning and open presents. My grandparents would come over and we would listen to Christmas music and make dinner and watch the snow fall outside. And that was Christmas at my house — very family oriented." The holiday routines even include Gaga at Christmas Day Mass!
So what does one get for the queen pop starlet that haves everything? Nothing, as Gaga already has everything on her Christmas list this year. "I already got it," Gaga said. "I’m going to be with my family. I had a wonderfully successful year with 'Born This Way.' We sold 7 million albums so far worldwide; it’s only been out for five months. And I got my first ever custom Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld."
And while most of us gave up the dream of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy years ago, our favorite quirky musical genius still keeps the faith. Gaga said, "I still believe in Santa. He’s for sure around. He and the Easter Bunny. I’ve hung out with them and Jesus Christ a few times."
Barneys has gone gaga, as in Lady Gaga, this holiday season with an in-store boutique, a website and several of its famous store windows all given over to the pop star phenomenon.
The tony retailer launched a "12 Days of Gaga" promotion, with different limited-edition items ranging from jewelry to candy to toys available each day on gagasworkshop.com, in advance of this week's opening of its in-store boutique.
A set of acrylic Gaga rings is priced at $18, while $285 will get you a pair of spiked leather moto fingerless gloves. For those in a seasonal mood, there's a 21-inch stiletto boot-style holiday stocking for $65.
Shoppers who would rather browse in an actual building can go to Barneys' Madison Ave. men's store has devoted its entire 5th floor, more than 5,000 square feet, to "Gaga's Workshop," offering gifts, clothing and art and running through January 2.
Shoppers will have to navigate a gigantic Lady Gaga mouth erected around the store's entrance to get in.
The diva turned up clad in custom Chanel and brandishing giant scissors to cut the opening-night ribbon.
Barneys' holiday windows have been a huge draw for decades, and the store upped the ante this year with its Gaga-inspired designs such as "Gaga's boudoir," a posh study in white, ivory and soft gold. The entire thing is made of hair.
Twenty-five percent of sales generated by "Gaga's Workshop" will go toward the singer's "Born This Way" foundation, which focuses on youth issues such as self-esteem and anti-bullying.
The pop powerhouse will have her own ABC special on Thanksgiving night, "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving," which she also directed.
Lady Gaga also presented a surprise for her fans on Twitter on Wednesday, announcing the release of "A Very Gaga Holiday" EP, featuring live renditions of "White Christmas," "Orange Colored Sky," "You And I" and "The Edge of Glory" for $3.99 on iTunes and Amazon.
Who needs elves this holiday season when you have little monsters?
As we previously reported, Lady Gaga is poised to hit Barneys New York this month with her officialGaga's Workshop, complete with windows, exclusive products, and an interactive Web site.
If you're perhaps expecting a meat dress here, an egg pod there, think again. The workshop will take over the entire 5th floor of the men's store (that would be a whopping 5,500 square feet)—sorry, boys—and will be divvied up into categories with that special Gaga touch, as Women's Wear Daily first revealed.
The jewelry shop will be created out of an oversize Gaga-turned-spider and the boudoir department will be in the shape of a giant wig, naturally.
“Gaga's Workshop is the largest and most completely realized holiday project ever undertaken in the history of Barneys New York and we are beyond thrilled to present it this season,” Mark Lee, the luxury department store’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a press release.
Photo courtesy Barneys via Women’s Wear Daily
A chocolate skull from Gaga's Workshop, $68.
So what, pray tell, can you purchase at Gagapalooza on Madison Avenue? Exclusive collaborations with artists Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson [of assume vivid astro focus, or avaf], under the direction of Nicola Formichetti, apparel, books, CDs, specialty items, candles, cosmetics and more.
If that's not enough to get you to brave the crowds, perhaps this is: Barneys is donating 25 percent of sales from all items featured in the workshop to Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, which focuses on youth empowerment and anti-bullying.
"We hope to raise significant funds to benefit the Born This Way Foundation and we thank Lady Gaga, Nicola Formichetti, Eli Sudbrack and avaf, as well as all of the collaborators and vendors who have worked so hard to make this holiday initiative come to life.” Lee said.
There's nothing we love more than shopping for a cause.
Gaga's Workshop opens at exactly 11:59 p.m. on November 21 and will remain open all night through Nov. 22, after which it will operate according to normal business hours through Jan. 2.
If you can't handle waiting any longer, check out this just-launched microsite. Over the next 12 days, Barneys will be selling one limited-edition item each day counting down to the launch.
And, yes, there's more! The retailer's launched a golden ticket Facebook contest where 30 winners will be chosen at random to attend the workshop launch party and ribbon cutting. To enter, visit the designated Facebook page.
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