Politics and fashion collided at Monday's Council of Fashion Designers of America awards ceremony when former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made an appearance, presenting the organization's highest honor to designer Oscar de la Renta

At the Lincoln Center ceremony in New York, where de la Renta picked up the Founder's Award, Clinton recalled her first meeting with the designer, whom she now considers a good friend. She wore one of his gowns on the receiving line at a 1993 Kennedy Center event, early in her husband's presidency.

Clinton recalled de la Renta coming up to her and saying "that's one of my dresses."

"He looked me up and down," she added.

The former first lady, along with Bravo TV personality Andy Cohen, also made light of her almost-constant wearing of pant suits throughout her own political tenure.

"I'm going to be pitching Andy [Cohen] on a new show for Bravo," she joked to the audience. "We can call it Project Pantsuit" -- Clinton chose a navy blue de la Renta pant suit for the occasion.

But the designer suggested she just might be wearing those pantsuits right back into the White House.

"She might not like me to say this, but I think she's going to be our next president," he said to rapturous applause.

De la Renta has been a long time favorite of first ladies, though not current First Lady Michelle Obama, who has never been seen wearing any of his dresses (she has worn a piece by his designer son, Moises). The designer has criticized openly criticized Obama's style, notably airing his distaste with her choice of cardigan when meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

He also stated in March that "an anonymous woman on the street is the woman who influences fashion today, not a movie star or a first lady."

De la Renta did apologize for his past statements and said of the FLOTUS, "[she] has such great looks if she put on a potato sack, she would look great."