Proenza Schouler Wins Womenswear Designer of the Year Award, but Hillary Clinton Wins Best Joke

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Good evening, Racked readers, and welcome to the 2013 CFDA Awards! They've been called "fashion's Oscars," and that's true on so many levels. Like the Oscars, the Awards have been known for their share of incongruous hosts, awkward jokes, and predictable wins. On the other hand, it's everyone in fashion in one place; not even the Met Gala can boast the kind of fashion cred that is unleashed upon the world for this event.

This year, Andy Cohen hosts, and while the red carpet won't be livestreamed, we will be scouring Twitter and Instagram for any and all exciting news from the red carpet and inside Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, so follow along right here.

9:38 pm: And that's a wrap! Andy Cohen leaves us with this suggestion: "Anytime anyone says Vera, have a sip of your cocktail." You got it, sir.

9:24 pm: Ralph Lauren presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to his former employee Vera Wang in a tux jacket, shirt and bow tie on top, jeans and metal-toed cowboy boots on bottom. "I thank you for always believing in me," says Vera to Ralph. "To all the women and men I dress, thank you for your trust." Awww.

9:21 pm: Kerry Washington presents Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler win the Womenwear Designer of the Year Award! It's the third time they've won it.

9:15 pm: Menswear Designer of the Year is... Thom Browne!

9:09 pm: Jessica Chastain on International Award Winner, Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy: "His themes are often dark but his touch is always light." The Wall Street Journal's Elizabeth Holmes reports that Riccardo Tisci is wearing a cummerbund with his tux. And a classic bowtie.

9:00 pm: Boom! Erin Beaty and Max Osterweis of Suno snag the Swarovski Womenswear Award!

8:57 pm: And the Swarovski Accessories Designer of the Year is Pamela Love! (Sheesh, they're really cranking through 'em!).

8:56 pm: Sidenote: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Oscar de la Renta just arrived at Henry Kissinger's 90th birthday party, according to WWD's Twitter.

8:55 pm: Aaaannnd... Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osbourne of Public School win the Swarovski Award for Men's Wear!

8:46 pm: Linda Evangelista presents Tim Blanks with the media award. "I've been a critic sometimes, but I've always been a fan," says Blanks.

8:44 pm: Per Andy Cohen's Twitter: "Hosting the cfda awards is no pressure at all - here I am backstage w/ a few startups in the industry?"

8:42 pm: Ethan Hawke does the honors for the first ever costume designer awarded by the CFDA, Colleen Atwood. "If the choice were up to me, I'd do every film with Colleen Atwood," says Hawke.

8:35 pm: Accessories Designer of the Year is up next. Rose Byrne presents. And the winner is... 3.1 Phillip Lim! He dedicates award to his business partner Wen Zhou.

8:32 pm: Oscar returns the compliment: ""I hope that she's going to be our next president."

8:28 pm: "His name alone evokes elegance and timeless beauty. And his designs give each of us a chance to feel like we're special, too." Hilary on Oscar de la Renta.

8:23 pm: Hilary Clinton takes the podium and receives a standing ovation. "I'm going to be pitching Andy on a new show for Bravo," she says. "We can call it 'Project Pantsuit.'"

Via Mara Hoffman's Instagram

8:20 pm: While everyone else is busy approving of Andy Cohen as host, Mara Hoffman took the opportunity to bedazzle a photo of her friend Pamela Love with rainbows and unicorn horns. Please see above.

8:18 pm: First joke of the evening: the "Toreo Burch." It's a flat with an Oreo at the toe.

8:14 pm: @BravoAndy taking the mic!

8:12 pm: Almost showtime...

7:59 pm: The red carpet is coming close to ending, and not one person has shown any side butt so far. Weird.

7:39 pm: Huff Po Style reports that Karolina Kurkova is in fact wearing silver sequined shorts under her silver sequined dress.

7:29 pm: Sneak peek of Karlie Kloss getting dressed. She's wearing Cushnie et Ochs, who are nominated for a Swarovski Award For Womenswear.

7:27 pm: Anna Wintour appears is wearing blue mink in June. That is all.

7:23 pm: Swarovski is sponsoring tonight's event. They created a giant
crystal nipple to celebrate the occasion!

7:12 pm: Fun fact: It's Andy Cohen's birthday today! That makes him a Gemini. Per astrologer Susan Miller: "All through the second half of 2012 and through 2013, you have been waiting for your moment to hit that legendary home run, and it will finally happen this month, dear Gemini." Coincidence???

7:06 pm: So, the rumor is that both Oscar de la Renta, who is receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award tonight, and Hilary Clinton, who is presenting it to him, are sneaking out early to go to Henry Kissinger's 90th birthday party tonight.

Photo via Fashionista/Instagram

6:48 pm: Yay! And the first crazy outfit of the night award goes to Michelle Harper! (She thought it was the punk party.)

6:45 pm:Sofia Vergara is here, and her dress is still in one piece.

6:40 pm: Vogue.com has an exclusive sneak peek at Vera Wang's Lifetime Achievement Award video. There are exactly as many amazing wedding dresses as you would expect.

6:30 pm: Good news! The rain stopped. Tory Burch scared it away.

6:25 pm: A tweet from Andy Cohen earlier today: "Rehearsing for the @CFDA Awards tonight. No pressure—I'm sure Mrs. Clinton will enjoy my routine about her! #SeemedFunnyWhenWeWroteIt."

6:21 pm: In case you were nervous about this, CFDA CEO Steven Kolb promised Buzzfeed, "There will be no Jersey Shore at the CFDA Awards."

6:10 pm: The weather is not cooperating with the needs of open-toe shoes tonight. It is pouring rain, and the humidity is through the roof.

6:00 pm: Well, this is playful. The CFDA statue, affectionately called Trova, will be taking over the CFDA's Twitter account for the evening, tweeting from his (her?) perspective. Follow along at @CFDA.

5:50 pm: CFDA CEO Steven Kolb tests out the red carpet. Which is actually black and white.

5:45 pm: First, a refresher. Fashionologie has a complete list of the nominees, including the category everyone cares about the most: womenswear. In that category, the noms are Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander Wang. Again.