Switched
By Leila Brillson
 
Young fashion designer Jason Wu seems to be the latest creative mind to partner with a large electronics corporation in the interest of making photography chic again. Since Polaroid named Gaga as its creative director, tech giants have been turning to fashion to give their substance some style. Wu, best known for his stellar one-shouldered chiffon gown worn by Michelle Obama at the Inaugural Ball (and for the screaming stampede of fashion editors outside of his shows), has been tapped by General Electric to develop a colorful point-and-shoot camera line, dubbed 'Create by Jason Wu.'

Set to debut in mid-March, the Create is fairly basic, with 12 megapixels and a 2.7-inch LCD screen. Made to be effortless, the camera has built-in memory and a retractable USB plug for simple transferring. However, it's the aesthetic that makes this General Imaging (GE's camera arm) shooter stand out from the pack. Outfitted in metal, the Create comes in white, black, gold, red, yellow, blue and green, and, for material snobs, the white, black and gray models arrive in leather. GE reports that each camera will come packed with "luxurious" accessories, like a camera pouch that doubles as a lens cleaner, and "elegant wrist and neck straps." No pictures of said straps have appeared, but we'd bet the fashion world would have a hard time accepting a camera as the new pendant-du-jour.

Meant for people who want an easy, adorable and style-savvy option, Create by Jason Wu won't get any adulation from the high-end photo crowd. Yet, this may be the only way for many fashionistas to get their hands on affordable Jason Wu.