Want to be a true monster of retro photography? Polaroid are still here to help. The Polaroid name we have today is, after all, an asset of an instant camera company that completely failed to deal with the rise of the digital camera. But if you’re trying to sell ‘retro’ electronics as a lifestyle accessory, there’s a ready made and outspoken celebrity there to speak out on your behalf: Lady Gaga. Gaga isn’t just the new face of Polaroid either, when she was approached by the company last January, they made her Creative Director. So at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, Polaroid were able to show case the first products demanded by the star. Among them, a pair of Designer sunglasses.

The bizarre and Polaroid-esque twist behind the Gaga eyewear is that the GL20 sunglasses contain a camera and OLED screen combo. The concept is easy enough: you can take photos and display the results in place of your eyes, on the outward facing screens of the Sunglasses. The glasses are clearly aimed at a stylish, clubbing audience of scene kids and other unmentionables. Fair enough though, and it’s a remarkable bit of brand self-awareness from the former giant of youth photography and the current giantess of the club-scene.

Accompanied by a Polaroid representative whose fashion credentials extended to the wearing of ascots, Gaga spoke at length about the upcoming Polaroid ‘Grey Label’ at CES. Despite being over half an hour late, it was remarkable how into the products she was. A GL10 wireless photo printer was shown in addition to the sunglasses and a GL30 instant camera. The Camera and Printer were clearly weighted towards the ‘Polaroid’ side of the partnership. The GL10 brings the portable immediacy of the traditional Polaroid snap to a range of devices via wireless tech, keeping photography less bulky whilst not sacrificing printing. The GL30 meanwhile is a return to the old Polaroid style, an all in one portable digital camera and printing solution. Both use ‘Zink’ technology, a compact and inkless printing solution.

This is evidently more than a simple celebrity endorsement. Polaroid themselves claim that though Gaga has a busy schedule, she helps brainstorm the ideas. Though both brands are boosted by the partnership, most were still not convinced by the Ladies glasses.

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