Fuzzy logic, soggy inventions

Thomas Edison - the inventor of the electric lamp - is widely recognised as a genius, but even he had off days. Take the Third Hand for example. Multi-tasking Edison needed an extra hand, so he constructed a device consisting of a suction cup attached to his chin, a telescoping arm and a rubber hand wired to control movement...it never caught on. Other Edison fledglings that failed to fly included the Air Conditioned Horse - a mysterious configuration of horse, towel rack and water-filled bellows, or the Heated Umbrella, which featured a double layer of water-repellent fabric filled with hot coals...until said coals burned through the material and presumably fell down Edison's trousers.
Of course he was not the only culprit. What about those foil sleeves drivers can wear to avoid sunburn but still look cool (?!?) as they casually drape their arm out of the car window? Or the waterproof flight suits designed by a North American company whose somewhat niche market is - wait for it - birds.
Fashion is not exempt from inventor's folly; in fact in some cases it represents the outermost reaches of sanity. The bustle harks back to a time when women actually wanted huge derrieres, while decency prevents me from even starting to explain what the "Prince Albert" was for. Then there were those foot-high Vivienne Westwood platform shoes - handy for changing light bulbs in the absence of a step ladder, but hardly designed for walking, as Naomi Campbell illustrated by taking a dive on the catwalk within minutes of putting them on.
I thought I'd seen the worst, but one fashion invention recently trumpeted in a press release had me checking the calendar to reassure myself that April Fools Day is some way off yet.
Fashion savvy chicks everywhere would now be able to now follow the latest trend as soon as it hit the catwalk by "making the most desirable, unique and chic bag or fashion accessory literally out of last month's news," the release declared.
Something about those last three words rang warning bells. I read on.
"With the Paper FX Dream Weaver, stylish accessories that would look good on any catwalk are just a few minutes away. This incredible invention is unique - a paper weaving system that will create belts, bags, hats and purses. All you need is a few sheets of paper from around the house...etc."
Many questions sprang to mind. Firstly; Why? But more to the point; Why? Apparently these revolutionary contraptions are selling like hotcakes (a lie, surely) so presumably fashion wannabes who miss the boat will have to resort to draping themselves with the contents of the office shredder. Assuming anyone would be daring enough to leave the house wearing a belt made of shredded paper, my thoughts took a practical turn. What happens if it rains? Surely even Naomi Campbell would have difficulty making wet papier maché look good.