Summer in New York City has proven to be a bit harrowing on the weather front. The day always starts out sunny enough and somehow someway the rain manages to creep in out of nowhere. Received an e-mail recently from a company that is putting the fashion back into rain wear and had to share. Weatherproof® Garment Company had the audacity to send five gorgeous women into the streets of Manhattan in slick red raincoats made by David Peyser Sportswear. This simply wonderful PR stunt highlighted a really innovative product and in turn brought the cameras out as Manhattan onlookers reveled at the models and bright red raincoats. This is how to do fashion PR folks, a great product and an outlandish launch.

There is no shortage of celebrity wear in this day and age. The celebrities and their fabulous clothing is everywhere. You cannot deny the influence of celebrity on getting a line to sell. That is until you look at Heidi Montag and Victoria Beckham. That’s when a pattern starts forming. Maria Sharapova though is looking to not have what happened to them, happen to her. Her fashion line according to The Daily Mail is different because it’s not a collection of what she has in her closet. You know, that oft-repeated line from celebrities “gosh, I just looked in my closet and thought, I can do that but better, what if I added a cinched waist..” Ugh.

Her line with Sony Ericsson combines chic colors, styling and functionality with the modernity of a 21 year old. How in-depth she went into actually helping the design is a bit of a mystery, but comparatively speaking, Sharapova’s line seems much better positioned when compared to Madame Montag..

Ok, so we may be going a little overboard on the Obama thing, but it’s hard not to recognize the man’s sexiness. Donatella Versace apparently concurs considering she has dedicated her recent Fall men’s fashion line, which she showed in Milan a couple of days ago, to the would be President. Is he that stylish that our President will be showing up in Versace suits? For modesty sake, it’s probably going to be a no. The thought process here is that the President should not be looking down on the citizens he represent, nor should he be too flashy (hint: to Joe Biden, one of the flashiest senators around). So while we’re certain that Obama appreciates the Donatella dedication, she should save the opulence for the misses.

I had to tease this in Big Picture form because this line is one of the most intriguing to come along from an emerging designer. It is from the ByCorpus Summer 2008 collection. A photo gallery with parts of their lookbook will follow tomorrow morning. For now, take a look at their Big Picture:

If you speak to Papierdoll writers Caroline Hartmann or Rachel Guerrier, they will tell you that Detroit is on the verge of a fashion breakout. Guerrier wrote an article on Shane and Shawn Ward of Detny awhile back and Hartmann comes from the motor city so it can almost do no wrong. The Detroit Free Press may be backing both of these writers assertions today with the focus on Dana Keaton, a promising designer out of Motown (you knew at least one Motown reference would be injected here). Keaton has a line of swimwear being shown at a place in Detroit called DivaGroove Fashion House (owned by Keaton).

Why the focus on Keaton from an international New York fashion megablog like Papierblog? (tongue firmly in cheek) Because we love the little engine that could that eventually becomes a movement. Keaton’s designs are impressively not midwest. They could have emanated from New York, Milan or Paris. It just so happens that they’re coming from Detroit. That shouldn’t be a strike against her, that should be all the more empowering. So, if you’re in Detroit on Friday, take a look at her show.

via: Detroit Free Press