I heard about the Lady Gaga x Polaroid collabo awhile ago and to be honest I thought it was a strange fit. What does a pop star have in common with a camera company best known for its nostalgic film flicks? Not a lot on the surface. As part of the collaboration, Polaroid released images of its new line, Grey Label, creative directed by Lady Gaga. Two products have surfaced – a pair of windshield sunglasses featuring lcd screens embedded behind the lens, and a digital 12megapixel camera that prints your photos instantly. The sunglasses are supposed to be able to take photos and share them in real time, while the position of the lcd screens was designed to no obstruct your vision. Interesting offerings from this collaboration.. but realistically.. c’mon. Polaroid, you can do better. I just don’t think your average, intelligent consumer would want to drop any dough on a pair of crazy retarded sunglasses no matter how many lcd screens you mount on the interior. As for the digital camera with the instant prints.. there are so many other options out there, I sincerely doubt anyone would lug this bulky camera around.

In order for Polaroid to make a comeback, they need to understand that their consumer base isn’t composed of Lady Gaga fans, but rather amateur photographers in love with the look and feel of analog film. If you’re looking to replicate the feel of Polaroids, the Fuji Instax Mini is a good substitute, and if you’re determined to stay digital, I’d cop an iPhone and the Hipstamatic app.