They’re overpaying

Not even Fashion Week can survive the recession. The economy has gotten so bad that they can’t even coerce A-listers like Renee Zellweger and Jennifer Lopez into the front row anymore and have to settle for D-listers like elite hooker Ashley Dupre, Kim Kardashian and Tori Spelling.

Not only can’t they afford to pay A-lister’s exorbitant appearance fees, but their drinks are now provided by McDonald’s instead of Starbucks and gift bags are filled with K-Y Jelly instead of NARS cosmetics.

“In the past, people were paid thousands and thousands of dollars per show,” one celebrity wrangler said.

But this year’s pretty young things attend for a few thousand bucks’ worth of free clothes, grab gift bags missing high-end goodies and settle for McDonald’s instead of Starbucks or champagne.

Paris Hilton – ubiquitous this week with sister Nicky and Kardashian in tow – used to charge $50,000 to appear at just one show, another veteran celebrity wrangler said.

Now she is showing up at shows this year for free airfare, hotel accommodations and $5,000 in free clothes per designer, sources said.

To be fair, all you have to do is mention “free” and Paris will come running. I once convinced Paris to make an appearance at my birthday party by promising free air and a gift bag of rocks I bought at Michaels. To this day, she still thinks she made off with 20 pounds of rare African gems.