Last night’s Paperball, at the MAD museum, was full of beer, paper and Madeline Albright.

The exhibition and party and dinner were split amongst five floors which meant me and my boots got quite the workout (the elevator moved at a glacial pace) and though the party party was mean to be on the sixth, everyone gathered on the second floor.

Bill Cunningham wove his way in and out of the exhibit, snapping pictures of girls in paper dresses, paper flowered hats and paper bow ties while I obsessed over Jen Kao’s dress. I’ve never touched anything in a museum (duh), but I had to reach out and poke it to make sure that it wasn’t leather. I still don’t really believe the laced up, shoulder padded shift is built from paper; it sat next to Bliss Lau’s corseted dress, inspired by The Great Gatsby (though we’re pretty sure Daisy would blush) and Zaldy’s fantastical swirling cocktail dress.

Memo to celebrity publicists:

If you have a cute client who needs a little push, RSVP her to a fashion show.

We’ve been hearing from PR Blackberries around the city that so far, there are way less celeb confirmations than in the past - in part because MTV’s Video Music Awards happen at the exact same time, in Las Vegas, “and we’ve lost so many regulars because of it,” confided one fashion publicist.

Of course a few famous faces will show for the shows, but this trickle could be a continuation of last year, when Mary Kate’s arrival at Jenni Kayne was received like the gift of the Magi. Just look at New York’s backstage photos to see the star drought.

But why have celebs stopped mobbing the runways?

In part, because they’re scared of the press mobbing them. Fashion shows are notoriously open season, with the understanding that if a famous person comes to a catwalk, they want the exposure - and the constant paparazzi.

We’ll never forget the arrival of Paris Hilton at Nanette Lepore last year - the panic was like the apocalypse. And at Zaldy’s show, when we had the bizarre experience of sitting next to Hilary Duff (who was awesome, we should admit), we had to wear our sunglasses because of all the flashes.

We suspect the other reason celebs fear fashion week is this story from The New York Times. Called “Look at Me, Look at Me, Please Look at Me,” it mocks Mischa Barton’s front row occupation during Spring ‘07 showings.

By Fall ‘07, Mischa didn’t appear at all, and celebrities who did deigned to make multiple shows got called out on their needy flashbulb habits.

Note the sneer we heard from two fashion insiders this weekend, when each remarked separately, “At least Debra Messing will be there.”

And maybe Evan Rachel Wood, too, since she has 3 movies premiering…

Yesterday in the International Herald Tribune, Suzy Menkes fretted over fashion brands invading museum halls:

“There is a general feeling that museums across the world are buckling under the pressure of hugely rich designers offering clothes, cash and marketing expertise… Maybe it is time to go back to the historical approach and dare to be didactic, so that museum fashion is less of a designer love fest and more of a learning curve.”

But it also seems that art is seeping far into the style world: there was the Gagosian dinner in LA last week, where Zac Posen and Hedi Slimane crashed into artist Bryce Marden (and Kirsten, and Naomi, and Tory Burch). Art Basel is now a haze of cross promotion and champagne, with Miami boutiques hosting new work in their windows (or their ceilings and floors, depending). And the Citizens Band, a performance art collective helmed by Deitch Gallery, is now muse to Erin Fetherston, Zaldy, Edun, Zac… yeah.

The partnership between fashion and art is nothing new (just ask John Singer Sargeant, whose paintings often set off a dress craze from the rivals of his painting subjects). What might be new is the sponsorship aspect - How much would Campbells have paid Warhol if he’d been working today? - and the shredding lines between what’s beautiful and what’s bought.

The fun part: Suzy wrote another article that ran yesterday in the Trib. It’s called, “Kylie — The Exhibition Draws a Young Crowd to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.”

The Wall Street Journal blogs today that Milan’s front rows are lacking the usual burst of Cate, Kate, and Leo. Here’s a fun excerpt of their point:

“Another local Italian actress, Martina Colombari, pushed past to get inside the show as people in the crowd wondered who she thought she was — and who she actually was.”

The WSJ blames the imminent Oscar season, saying no celebrity can stretch to Italy and back to LA in time to erase their under eye circles. We can’t help but wonder if it’s something bigger, a trend that started in Manhattan this month with stars skipping shows because they’re too big a hassle. As Rachel Zoe told WWD:

“The paparazzi have become so aggressive that a star can’t walk four steps to her seat without cameras going off. The celebrities could be thinking, ‘Why should I go through that?’ while the designers think, ‘Why should I disrupt my show?’”

Of course, celebs are used to constant flashes and tabloid craziness, but Fashion Week can get a bit insane - the image at left is a photo I took last season, when I sat a seat away from Hilary Duff at the Zaldy show. Those are the photographers that hovered around her chair.

Fashionista is proud to present Deal or No Deal, in which a group of style insiders check out a discount fashion item and answer that pressing question - is it worth it?

Marc by Marc Jacobs suede studded pumps, originally $380, now 53% off - or $179 - at Bluefly.com

Tinsley Mortimer, socialite extraordinaire: “Buy those shoes! They were almost $400 so now it’s a great deal. They’ve got a rounded toe, which makes them very good for the season. They’re a great color, I mean, you could wear a very plain outfit and those shoes will just make it. Plus they have that little ankle strap, which is so great for shorter dresses. Get them!”

Zaldy, L.A.M.B. designer and Scissor Sisters stylist: “Don’t do it. The rounded toe is already a little tired and the studs make them less chic. Plus, $200 is still a lot of money, and suede is impossible to clean. That’s not a bargain to me.”

Lydia Hearst, model/ heiress/ redhead: They’re wonderful shoes but they’re not incredibly cheap.
To me, a bargain is $25 in a sample bin on the last day at Barney’s! You know?

Fashionista: Take another $100 off, and you’ve got a deal.