Mark Anthony “BAZ” Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, comprising his films Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge!. In 2008, his film Australia was released, starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. His version of The Great Gatsby was released in 2013.

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Last night, Barneys New York, the specialty luxury retailer, holiday windows and facade of Madison Avenue were unveiled yesterday to display a BAZ DAZZLED wonderland, a collaboration with world-renowned writer/director/producer Baz Luhrmann and designer Catherine Martin. A multi-platform initiative, BAZ DAZZLED merges the iconic visual language of Luhrmann’s award-winning film work with the legendary wit and surprise of Barneys New York. Luhrmann and four-time Oscar winning production and costume designer Martin, along with the Barneys New York team under the lead of Creative Director Dennis Freedman, have taken traditional holiday themes and turned them upside down into a world of fantastical characters, enchanted environments, and luxurious, metallic textures.

“From the first time my wife Catherine Martin and I found ourselves in New York back in the ’80s, we always marveled at the way Barneys took the familiar and managed to turn it on its head. This way of seeing the world is somewhat akin to our own creative philosophy,” said Baz Luhrmann. “Here we are now, so many years later in our adopted home, honored to join the pedigree of artists, performers, and creative organizations which have collaborated with Barneys, to take the familiar and turn it on its head.”

The tradition of holiday storytelling was at the center of the collaboration, conceived by Luhrmann, Martin, and the Barneys New York creative team. In this mythical BAZ DAZZLED world, classical woodland creatures come to life in an urban environment: a contortionist b-boy elf, a wise old ‘True Owl’ who speaks the truth, a graffiti-ing squirrel who makes use of his gold spray paint through Barneys and beyond, and Celestina the ice princess, eternally skating and longing to be set free—with the whole mythical world ruled over by the Luna and Solar Queens. Inspired by Luhrmann and Martin’s extensive background in film, opera, theatre, and music, the expected becomes unexpected, the classic becomes modern, and the static comes alive in a series of live performances and interactive theater. Each window presents a snippet of these characters’ stories, expressing the Luhrmann and Martin ethos of “Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love.”

BAZ DAZZLED MADISON AVENUE WINDOWS

LOVE: A magical corner of Central Park is the mythical setting for the first window, which depicts a forest of 9-foot chromed mushrooms in a rainbow of colors. Elphresh the elf contorts and dances in and around his 14-foot-wide gold and bejeweled boom box, in pursuit of his impossible love, Elfemeral. The performance is scored by Pentatonix.

BEAUTY: The Spirits of the Snow star in this window, realized by Washington-based artist Anthony Howe and voiced by Pentatonix. These handmade kinetic sculptures, previously only seen as outdoor wind machines, come to life within the window—the first time Howe’s work has been shown in an interior space. The movement of these spirited characters is entirely generated by wind machines, which sets them into mesmerizing motion.

TRUTH: “Truth” the True Owl—an animal known for its wisdom—resides in the third window. Artist and sculptor Chris Cole has created an 8-foot-tall, 6-foot-wide steampunk talking owl which gravely speaks his words of wisdom, scored to Pentatonix’s version of Madonna’s “Holiday.”

FREEDOM: Celestina the ice princess, imprisoned for eternity in her ice cave in our mythical tale, skates forlornly in the last window while dreaming of freedom. The performance is scored by Pentatonix.
BAZ DAZZLED MADISON AVENUE FACADE
In addition to the individual windows, the front of the Madison Avenue store has been covered in an expansive facade that brings the BAZ DAZZLED world beyond the windows. From above it all, the Solar Queen and Luna Queen sing out across Madison Avenue, stationed at two Juliet balconies built out of the second floor.

THE BAZ DAZZLED UNVEILING
The holiday windows were unveiled last night in a spectacular production for audiences on Madison Avenue. The street was fully transformed into interactive experience, with an extravagant theatrical performance encompassing various elements from the BAZ DAZZLED motif.

The event centered around the Pentatonix, who gave a live performance of the remixed holiday carols featured in the windows. A modern dance troupe of men and women exploded on the street, followed by a team of figure skaters who performed on synthetic ice. The Luna Queen and Solar Queen emerged onto the two Juliet balconies on the second floor, and accompanied Pentatonix for an exclusive, custom-scored version of Madonna’s “Holiday.” To close out the epic performance, a drum line joined the festivities before the windows were finally revealed. The unveiling was directed in collaboration with Luhrmann, Martin, Barneys New York, and Andrew Katz.

THE BAZ DAZZLED COLLECTION
Barneys New York has worked with Luhrmann and Martin to create a range of XO Exclusively Ours, limited edition holiday gift items inspired by the mythical characters and narrative that express Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Love. BAZ DAZZLED products are available now for a limited time at Chelsea Passage on the 9th floor of the Barneys New York Madison Avenue flagship location, select Barneys New York locations nationwide, and Barneys.com. The product assortment focuses on luxury holiday decor and gifts: a champagne sabre by Berti engraved with “Freedom, Truth, Beauty, Love;” handcrafted star-etched crystal tumblers, a knit rabbit throw by Adrienne Landau, pillows embroidered with “A Life Lived in Fear is a Life Half Lived” by Studio DKS, children’s costumes, stuffed animals and a hand-painted play tent. In addition, extraordinary items including a one-of-a-kind fur-lined sleeping bag, luxury picnic set, and more have been created in collaboration with Prada exclusively for BAZ DAZZLED.

In the spirit of the holiday season and in honor of this special collaboration, Barneys New York will donate 25% of sales from all BAZ DAZZLED Holiday products to Room to Read, a global organization that seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

(Courtesy of Yahoo.com)