Baz Luhrmann is to turn Central Park Zoo into a "fairytale wonderland".
The ‘Great Gatsby’ director and his costume designer wife Catherine Martin are creating a ‘Baz Dazzled Holiday’ display for Barneys New York over the festive season and will kick off their spectacular with an A-list party at the zoo on November 13, the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column reports.
It was announced earlier last month that the couple had teamed with the department store’s creative director Dennis Freedman to create fairytale-themed artwork for the iconic shop, including "fantastical characters, woodland creatures, ice skaters, snow owls, and candy canes" to emphasise their motto; ‘A life lived in fear is a life half lived’.
In addition to the party and the window displays at the Madison Avenue flagship store, Baz and Catherine’s artwork will also feature on limited-edition shopping bags, gift cards and in-store displays.
They have also collaborated on a number of gift items for the retailer, including ornaments, tabletop accessories, throws, toys and children’s costumes and 25 per cent of sales from the Baz Dazzled products will be donated to Room to Read, a global organisation focused on literacy and gender equality in education.
The couple said: "From the earliest days of our love affair with the city of New York, we have always marveled at the way Barneys blends retail, theatre, art and narrative with irreverence and wit while nevertheless remaining accessible to its audience.
"We embrace the opportunity of reveling in the holiday spirit by collaborating with Barneys, taking traditional holiday iconography and turning it on its head. This collaboration is, for us, ultimately a celebratory opportunity to deepen our relationship with our adopted city of New York."
Last year, Barneys teamed up with Jay Z for their holiday displays, and worked with Disney in 2012.
Baz Luhrmann to host zoo party
