Runway shows aren't cheap, what with the decor, bids for Bryant Park permits, and complimentary eight balls needed to get models out of bed in the morning. So corporate sponsorship is par the course for these events — to pay the bills, yes, but also because a brand's involvement in Fashion Week supposedly proffers an air of "cool" upon the paying customer. (Hence, Oral B's presence at the House of Cassette show, among others. Indeed, the models all had very white, brittle teeth, from brushing after throwing up.)

But while Evian and Revlon are natural fits in an environment where water and cosmetics are the only things in heavy rotation, some of this year's Fashion Week sponsors point to a disturbing trend in financial outsourcing:

So at this Fashion Week, BlackBerry is introducing its new color, Sunset. OfficeMax is previewing a collection of fashionable office supplies and providing a business center for attendees. Google is unveiling a designer-created collection of themes for iGoogle. And the Seoul Metropolitan Government is promoting South Korea as a tourism and style destination.

Seoul Metropolitan Government? Really? Of course, it is a section of Southeast Asia that is run more like a company than a homeland anyway, but still, what sort of message gets sent to those attending William Rast — that it's been too long since they last visited the Demilitarized Zone?