ZOE ON HALSTON: Rachel Zoe's absence from the Halston front row and after show had many fashion tongues wagging, with some saying that her role there has been vastly diminished, and others that she was fired. At the Marc by Marc Jacobs show Tuesday, Zoe was initially hesitant to comment, but then had this to offer: "I have five clients in town and my television show, and my day job comes first. This was Marco [Zanini]'s show. I am still a shareholder and on the creative advisory board of Halston."

OBAMA GOES GUCCI: Susan Fales-Hill was toting the Democratic party line Tuesday, having taped a photo of Barack Obama to her Gucci handbag. She pulled the image from the current Ebony magazine cover, and made sure to keep the headline, "In Our Lifetime." "When my parents were married 50 years ago, their mixed marriage was illegal in many states. In my family, we used to ask, 'Will we see a black president in our lifetime?'" she said. "The fact that this is happening in our lifetime is amazing."

COCKTAIL HOUR: Her Bryant Park show may have taken place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, but that didn't discourage Monique Lhuillier from outfitting the celebs in her front row in her signature evening dresses. While most of the crowd had just finished their morning cups of coffee, the likes of Brittany Murphy, Becki Newton and Sophia Bush took their seats sporting slinky frocks and demonstrative eye makeup. But Newton, for her part, didn't feel out of place. "I think everyone should wear cocktail dresses at all hours of the day," the actress said.

BASSO DELAY: Dennis Wong, a freelance publicist, suffered an epileptic seizure prior to Dennis Basso's 25th anniversary show Tuesday at The Promenade at Bryant Park. Wong was treated by a doctor and a nurse who happened to be on the scene before the paramedics arrived. Gigi Mortimer also stepped in with instructions about how to help. Anna Wintour and a small group of editors were seated in the tent, while guests such as Olivia Palermo, Candy Pratts Price and Jennifer Creel waited in a holding area for emergency assistance to arrive. The paramedics arrived 20 minutes after they were called, leading some observers to question why an ambulance is not stationed at the tents during the show, as is the case with other major Manhattan events. Zani Gugelmann offered a sober view: "This brings some reality to fashion week."