Talk about a star-studded backstage. Photo: Bryan Bedder, Getty Images for Herve Leger

In what has been called "the year without a summer," NYC decided to turn on an 80-degree day with brilliant sunshine for a Sunday that also included shows by Derek Lam and Diane Von Furstenberg. Having made the foolish decisions to a) wear nylon J.Lindberg trousers, and b) take the sweltering subway on such a day, I arrived at the shows looking, as the New Yorkers say, "a little shvitzy." (For non-New Yorkers, that means "drenched in sweat.")

But! The wonderful Kris Norman of the W Hotel Lounge, who is there every fashion week and has a reputation as a celebrity fixer, knew exactly the solution. A veteran who is familiar with every inch of the Tents, he took me to a corner where the air conditioning is ducted in from outside and sure enough, I was cool and dry in two minutes. That is a fashion week secret worth knowing!

Other notables who stopped by backstage in the last 24 hours include Martha Stewart, "90210"'s Jessica Stroup, "Entourage"'s Emmanuelle Chriqui, the the Filipino style blogger who has become an Internet fashion celebrity, Bryan Boy. His pick for the best show so far? "Joseph Altuzarra, hands down," he said.

Outside the Tents, the hottest ticket in town today was the invitation-only Frank Tell showing on W. 15th St. The young designer, originally from Spain, has quickly made a reputation for sophisticated but fun cocktail dresses that are must-haves for the real-life Gossip Girl crowd.

*Overheard backstage from a frantic fashion PR with a bandaged thumb: "The is the worst possible injury a publicist could have! How am I going to text? It's like a surgeon with a broken wrist!"