While Macy’s will likely continue with their commercial cast of star designers, Barneys New York will be hanging their Santa Hat on a cultural icon – Lady Gaga. Barney’s will dedicate an entire floor of their New York City location, as well as their famous window display, to Gaga’s Workshop.

At first glance, this may seem an odd choice for a Christmas campaign and for a luxury brand to boot. But, Barneys is known for Couture Fashion, and their Christmas window displays usually ditch the traditional nutcrackers and holly for creativity and high fashion.

Barneys and Gaga are pulling out all the stops (and why shouldn’t they, with department store traffic dying a slow death) with a multifaceted campaign focused around Gaga’s Workshop, much of which will be formed from Gaga’s own vision. Teaming up with Nicola Formichetti, who Gaga has often collaborated with on her music videos and red carpet ensembles,  she will create a line of limited edition gifts to be sold exclusively at Barneys New York. And installation artists Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson of Assume Vivid Astro Focus will be tasked with bringing Gaga’s Workshop to life.

I think this partnership will be something to watch this holiday season. It’s a Christmas marketing combo that could go down in history like polar bears and Coca-Cola. No, this is not going to be a Bad Romance – not at all.