It was evident upon entering Milk Studios last night that something was very, very wrong. Guests for three anticipated shows, Altuzarra, Billy Reid and Erin Fetherston all arrived at the same time, and were pushed into the same lobby. There were vague directions to "head to the back" or "go to the middle" for check-in to the shows.

Show attendees milled around, confused, and weren't sure where to stand, adding more of a space crush as new waves of people entered the space.

And then came the news: they couldn't let anyone upstairs.
Erin Fetherston's presentation, set for 7 p.m., was at capacity by 7:15 p.m. and there was no more access by 7:20 p.m. As late as 7:45 p.m., there was little the harried publicists could do, except profusely apologize. Sponsors complained. Editors left. Pretty girls in fur coats and eyeliner scowled.

According to Erin Fetherston's publicists, Milk Studios had imposed a new system of dog tags that allowed only a set amount of guests in. Usually, seat assignments are given on pieces of paper, which guests wave past security to get inside. The dog tag system was Milk's way of keeping the guests under control, publicists said. But when the dog tags ran out, so did the ability to allow more people upstairs. But, one publicist admitted, they had invited "way more people" than they had been given dog tags for.

Overbooking shows is a common fashion week practice, and is a way to have a packed room show up on runway films. This can work in a runway show setting, when the overflow of guests stands against the wall, or are forced to wait outside, until they are allowed to fill in open seats. But in a presentation, where models stand on platforms as people mill around, once a room is crowded, there's no way to distinguish the extras from the editors.

Erin Fetherston's publicists emailed Heard on the Runway an apology, and said that five events were scheduled at Milk Studios at the same time, which caused the security to enforce strict room capacity and fire code rules.