This weekend, Central New York’s trend setters converged at the Best Western Hotel in downtown Syracuse. Among the entourage of designers, boutiques, and makeup artists, was a silent partner – the Food Bank of Central New York.
For Lisa Marie Butler, the founder of Syracuse Fashion week, the idea came into fruition in 2013, when she said she wanted to create a philanthropic partnership between local businesses and fashion. The idea clicked, she said, after watching a documentary on hunger in America.
“Food and fashion make a lot of sense in my brain,” Butler said. “People need to wear clothes; people need to eat food.”
She made the Food Bank of Central New York its beneficiary 12 years ago, and since then, the Food Bank has delivered 62 million meals across 11 counties served through the partnership.
The three-day fashion event also served as a vehicle for creatives in Syracuse. With five shows every year, Butler said, the event has spotlighted over 100 local designers, ranging from college students studying fashion design, to small business owners running boutique and online stores, as well as larger companies and corporations.
“The way we support [designers] is just by giving them a platform, helping them find models, condense their visions, and giving them support in terms of hair and makeup,” Butler said.
Mariella Sheree is one of many designers presenting at fashion week. Coming from St. Louis, Sheree initially wasn’t aware of the fashion scene in Syracuse, she said, and she struggled to find community until she attended Syracuse Fashion Week.
“I was intrigued and I thought to myself, ‘Okay, I’m gonna’ make sure this is going to be the first stop of my debut of my collection,’” Sheree said.
Now, she’s finally debuting her own brand, Maison Mariella Sheree, with the collection “Departure.” Just before show time, she was beaming with pride because it was the first time her designs would be showcased out in front.
“I’m now in the motion of departing from being behind the scenes and coming to the forefront and saying this is me, this is my work,” she said. “I hope you’ll love it.”
That is the goal, said Butler, to help designers like Mariella and other creatives make their own mark on the New York fashion scene. As a Syracuse native who moved away for a few years before settling back home, Butler saw a burgeoning demand.
“Syracuse is small, but it’s mighty in a lot of ways,” she said. “And, you know, people are excited to see fashion. They’re excited to see runway shows.”
Sheree nodded emphatically.
“I really have noticed that in Central New York, there is an opportunity for the fashion industry to grow here,” she reflected on how the industry has grown over the last two decades. “I love that Syracuse Fashion Week is allowing local designers, emerging designers, student designers and models to have this opportunity to showcase their work and have visibility.”
The Syracuse Fashion Week launched Thursday, April 16 and wrapped up Saturday, April 18.
Check back here for the total sum raised on behalf of The Food Bank of CNY at this year's SFW.
