POLAROID

At a time of technological advances, objects from the past such as "instant photography" have been reinvented in recent years. Undeniably magical, this vintage camera offers a freeze frame of our busy lives by capturing a moment of life for a few minutes, a forever memory. Invented by Edwin Land, an American and a graduate in physics, he was interested in the polarization of light and has created numerous devices: viewfinders, navigation optics and cartography. In 1937, he founded the company Polaroid, initially specialized in the making of sunglasses, changed trajectory in 1948 after introducing the first instant camera. Who inspired this groundbreaking idea? Edwin Land's four-year-old daughter, who sought to see the picture immediately after taking it. First in black and white, colors were then added in 1963 thanks to the development of the Polacolor film. Amateurs and professionals alike were thrilled with the instantaneous image, also attracting the interest of the medical field. Over time, this creative tool even became an integral part of many artists' works such as Andy Warhol, Helmut Newton, Robert Mapplethrope or David Hockney. With the rise of digital technology, the company faced challenges detrimental to its survival. Thanks to the arrival of Florian Kaps, André Bosman and Marwan Saba in 2008; the Impossible Project was implemented to re-launch the production of instant films. Four years later, Oskar Smolokowski was appointed at the helm of the company, propelling it to new heights, notably by increasing the number of collaborations, such as Star Wars The Mandalorian, Peanuts, Sandqvist and Fragment Design. In the spring of 2017, the brand was renamed Polaroid Originals. The iconic models are revamped yet preserve their vintage look, making them the perfect life accessory. 3,2,1...smile!