Designers and models rocked the runway at Syracuse Style 2025
Designers and models rocked the runway at Syracuse Style 2025
Syracuse Fashion Week’s Syracuse Style gave audiences an experience that was more than clothes.
It’s unknown if Fashion Week attendees of the “Big Four” shows — New York, London, Milan and Paris — received any gifts after the show, but lucky attendees at Syracuse Style did.
The scarves, from Stiletto Love Boutique’s models, were a tribute to designer Lisa Romano’s close friend, Jancy Ball, who loved collecting the accessory during her travels and gifted them before she died last May.
“She was always in our lives as a creative force,” Romano said. “She’s here with us.”
Romano debuted her collection as a designer at Syracuse Fashion Week’s 2025 fall fashion show, Syracuse Style at Art in the Atrium Saturday evening. Romano’s daring cuts, slashes and paintwork on vintage blazers brought back an early Vivienne Westwood aesthetic and carried the spirit of her loved ones.
The fashion show featured nine collections, each centered around distinct aesthetics. The event’s donations went toward the Food Bank of Central New York and raised enough for over 1,100 meals.
Charity was also a focus of Marke Zinkovitch’s opening show, whose pink designs were to raise awareness for breast cancer. The designer depicted her inner princess through a collection of pink satin dresses. While the models’ dresses were lightweight, some casual enough to be sleepwear, Zinkovitch herself appeared in a neon pink bustle gown, standing out as the princess-est.
As a highlight breakout designer at previous Syracuse Fashion Week shows, Cat of the Hill showcased comfortable and stylish collections for children and adults, emphasizing creativity through upcycled clothes and fabric remnants.
The pieced pockets on the children’s line gave the younger models a perfect place to rest their hands while also complementing the colors and adding a fun flair. One outfit, featuring a yellow-sleeved top with orange and navy color blocks, complete with a denim blue panel in the center, resembled Dutch artist Piet Mondrian’s geometric painting style.
The designer also played with piecing in the adults’ line, though not as vibrant as the children’s, with white stripes on black canvas. The all black hoodie with subtle stripes generated more interest.
QueenRi’s Boutique and Michelle DaRin both stood out as the most colorful lines of the night. While QueenRi’s Ankara skirts presented a vivid kaleidoscope of blossoms, DaRin knitted both spring and fall palettes into her collection.
In both, the accessories matched the clothes in catchiness. QueenRi featured a pair of blue fan-shaped earrings that looked as if it was picked from the blue mushroom patterns on the skirt. In DaRin’s, the double-layered necklaces — a collarbone blue flower paired with a long embroidered piece extended to the model’s belly button — added spring energy to the warmth of the rainbow-colored fur-pieced coat it was paired with.
Even though it was the fall fashion show, many items were fitting for the spring and summer.
Spirit + Thread brought its crochet openwork from Rochester, which can be worn to the beach or straight to a cocktail party with its ombre or sequin-embellished pieces. With the temperatures in Syracuse warming back a bit, there may still be a chance to wear the crochet dresses before fall fully settles in.
Along with Indigenous beaded jewelry, Mary Homer showcased signature ribbon skirts and tops. While the black and red combination is always sexy and powerful, a light gold waist ribbon and star-patterned tulle added a touch of whimsy.
A. Rivera’s collection was as fluid as its name, while adding some Earth tones by pairing chiffon — or crepe-like tops with more structured bottoms and brown leather shoes. The collection offered a creamy mahogany palette, perfect for this fall or suitable for next summer.
The runway’s success was indicated by the audience’s cheers of delight. The models also thought the show was a success — with some dancing to the music with one yelling out, “Gimme more” when DJ Joe Grosvent played the Britney Spears’ track.
Syracuse Style, though less luxurious than traditional big-name fashion shows, is just as creative.
is a Goldring Arts, Style and Culture Journalism graduate student and a contributor for The NewsHouse.
is a contributor for The NewsHouse.