Thakoon Panichgul, Peter Som, Erin Fetherston Say Sometimes, Lateness is Unavoidable

Yesterday, we issued some tardies to the designers who continue to struggle to begin their shows on time. (Even Diane von Furstenberg, the issuer of the original pleading letter asking designers to be punctual, got one!)

Since then we've learned that Carolina Herrera nearly lost her mind when Renee Zellweger showed up over 25 minutes late to her Monday morning show. And Monday's 1 p.m. Thakoon show was reportedly held up for 57 minutes due to Kanye West’s late arrival. 

When we ran into Thakoon Panichgul at Gramercy Park Hotel, where the designer was attending a Vogue party thrown in honor of Maria Sharapova’s collaboration with Cole Haan, he denied that Mr. West had anything to do with it. 

"It wasn't the celebrity. It was all about a model who was running late from a previous show," he said. "It just gets more and more crammed every year, and we have to wait for the models, so what are you going to do?”

Dylan Lauren, who grew up a Fashion Week brat through her father Ralph Lauren's shows, offered her take.

“Yes, the shows should start on time, but it's really hard because there are so many variables," she said. "You have to wait for the models and the editors to get there from the last show. I think people know by now that everything will start a little late." 

But Katie Lee Joel, with whom Ms. Lauren was chatting, said that while the shows may always begin late, she is always punctual and is a "stickler" about those sorts of things. 

"It's a domino effect really," said designer Erin Fetherston, who had her show last Friday. "Your show can't start on time if no one is released from the previous show on time. The rule is you have to start within the hour." 

Ms. Sharapova, the host of evening and a guest at both the Herve Leger and Peter Som show this week, offered a view from the other side of the runway. 

"If you're there to see the show, you're going to wait until the show starts," she said. 

And Mr. Som, for whose show Ms. Sharapova brought along gymnast Nastia Liukin, suggested that the cause is rather hopeless.

"You get an A for effort for being conscious of it and trying to begin on time," he said. "You don't want to keep people waiting too long. It's not… polite." 

"It's an ideal, but we can dream can't we?"