The line between the fashion and automotive industries continues to blur.

One needs only to look at last night’s pre-show parties, where creative young people mingled with industry executives over dainty burgers and free vodka.

Mercedes-Benz’s VIP “House of Bluetec” event was held at Splashlight Studios, a site popular for staging New York runway shows. Sheryl Crow gave an intimate performance while black-clad model-waiters offered guests blueberry vodka cocktails and tiny servings of french fries. IMG Fashion vice president Fern Malllis was spotted near the edge of the stage during the performance. (IMG presents New York Fashion Week, which Mercedes-Benz has sponsored for over seven years.)

At the Saab party, the 9-X Bio Hybrid
concept shared the stage with models.

Reclining in a lounge filled with Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona chairs, was Lauretta Vaughn, who plays “fiery chick” Kit Fowler on CBS’s “As the World Turns.” (She does not have an evil twin… yet.) Wearing an eye-catching clingy gold mini-dress with plunging neckline, Ms. Vaughn said that she was going to several parties this week. “I want to get pictures of the cars, get myself inside the cars, and maybe put a car or two in my purse,” she said.

An hour or two later, Ms. Vaughn found herself at Saab and Intersection magazine’s party, held at Frank Gehry’s IAC building.

This party also borrowed heavily from fashion: the 9-X BioHybrid concept was spotlit on a “runway” in front of a small group of photographers who dutifully snapped. Outside, models clad head-to-boot in Saab’s latest clothing collection, stood silently under white umbrellas and looked in on the guests.

Auto industry execs in dark suits nibbled on gourmet desserts while mingling with fashionistas in spangles, headbands and complicated scarves. Among them was bag designer Alfonso Graham, who said he could spot which guests belonged to which industry, adding: “Some people got invited by their friends. The others got invited by corporate.”

Intersection magazine’s editor-in-chief Dan Ross agreed there were some similarities to a Fashion Week soiree but added that at the auto industry events, “It’s a lot less visually vicious.”