Good News York by Growth Mode Content - GNY EP.163 | feat. Zoë Francemone from Syracuse Fashion Week

Episode Date: April 17, 2026

Syracuse Fashion Week Coordinator Zoe Fransimone on Shows, Tickets, and Getting Involved Host Noah Chrysler interviews Zoe Fransimone, a coordinator for Syracuse Fashion Week, a nonprofit partnered with the Food Bank of CNY that began in 2014 and now runs three shows twice a year (fall and spring). Zoe outlines the current week’s events: a sold-out Spring Fling streetwear show at 7:00 PM at the Jefferson Clinton Hotel, a Gala show at Mohegan Manor in Beeville at 7:30 with a few tickets left, and a sold-out Saturday Underground cabaret-themed show at Mohegan Manor at 8:00; Friday also has very limited tickets. She explains the themes, discusses her background in modeling and makeup, shares local fashion tips and shop recommendations (The Cherry Pit, La Veranda, Boom Babies), and describes how aspiring models, designers, and makeup artists can get involved by reaching out. Tickets and info are at syracusefashionweek.com and Syracuse Fashion Week on social platforms. 00:00 Welcome to Good News York 00:16 What Is Syracuse Fashion Week 01:04 Show Dates and Venues 01:38 What to Expect at Shows 01:56 Themes Spring Gala Underground 03:41 Zoe's Fashion Journey 06:37 Style Tips for Syracuse 08:23 Best Local Shops to Visit 09:52 How to Get Involved 11:33 Contact and Next Season Timing 12:47 Mission Inclusivity and Food Bank 14:30 Tickets and Where to Follow 15:01 Closing Thanks and Sign Off

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Good News York. My name is Noah Chrysler, and today I am sitting with Zoe Frantzimon. Zoe, how are you? I'm good. How are you? Not too bad. Good to meet you. Zoe, can you introduce yourself for the people at home?

Yeah, my name is Zoe Frantamon, and I am a coordinator for Syracuse Fashion Week. Fantastic. So tell us about Syracuse Fashion Week. What is it? When is it? Where is it? And why should we go? Okay.

So Syracuse Fashion Week is a nonprofit organization, partnered with the food Bank of C&Y. We started in 2014, so it's been a little while now. It started as the Syracuse style shows on Walton Street, just the one-off shows. And then different designers and boutiques reached out and wanted to get involved. And so Syracuse Fashion Week was born, and we made it, you know, a week long different fashion shows. And now it's three shows twice year. So fall and spring. Wonderful. Yeah. And you said it's happening. tonight. Yeah, so the first show is tonight at 7 p.m. The Jefferson Clinton Hotel. We are sold out so nobody else can come to this one. Gotcha. Okay. But I think there are a few tickets left for the show

that's tomorrow. It's at Mohegan Manor and Beaville. And that starts at 7.30. Yeah. And then Saturday is also at Mohegan Manor at 8. Very cool. That is sold out as well. Wonderful. You have one event that's not sold out there. Yeah. And I think there's only, when I checked right before this, I think there only like five tickets. Wow. How exciting. That's wonderful. Yeah, that's really, really great. That's fantastic. For someone who's never been to a fashion show. Yeah. What would a fashion show be like? I mean, let me give you what's in my brain, right? Like Tyra Banks type of a vibe, you know, walk the runway type of a thing, spin around, go back. Is that kind of what is that? Yeah, yeah, for sure. But we do have different themes each night. So tonight is the spring fling. So it's a bit

more casual. Casual wear, like street wear. It's a little bit more lax, which is, which is nice. I think if you haven't been to a fashion show before and you're really intimidated, this is a good one to start with, because it's not like really intense, you know? Sure. But I love the show. So this is a little bit more casual. The show that's tomorrow is the gala, which is my personal favorite. It's a bit more formal wear. So think like gowns, like boom babies is going to be involved in their like, you know, proms and all that stuff. So, you know, a lot of gowns, formal wear. That one's really nice.

I love it because I love to dress up. Who doesn't? So that one's a really good one. And the venue, the venue is really cool, too. And then the one that's on Saturday is the underground show. And it's cabaret themed, which is the most, like, unique and fun. We have cabaret performers sprinkled in, so it's not just the Tyra Banks. Sure, yeah, yeah, yeah, smize.

Smize, pose, right? Yeah. So it's a little bit different, but it's really fun. And I don't want to give too much away, but it's really exciting. The underground's always really fun. Gotcha. There's surprises. There are surprise performances, yeah?

Yeah, yeah. There's five different designers and five different performances. Cool. Wow. Okay, wonderful. Yeah. So there's a gala. There's the cabaret thing.

What's tonight? Again, this is a casual. Springfling. Yep. Springfling, streetwear. Yeah. Gotcha. How cool.

That's awesome. Yeah. How long has this been going on in Syracuse? Okay. So started 20. 2014, so it's been a while. Yeah, wow. Yeah, 12 years.

Wow. Holy crap. The 12th year. Yeah. That's super cool. What got you into fashion? Are you in the fashion world, or is this kind of a new foray for you? No, I've always loved fashion.

I've been like the odd man out, my whole family. I'm like, even when I was young, I would wear these like crazy weird things and my sisters were like, what the hell are you wearing? You look ridiculous. And yeah, they were right. Looking back, they were right. But it definitely helped me develop my style now. But I've always been into fashion.

I was modeling and stuff, which I think really got me more into it. And then I'm a makeup artist as well. So, you know, when I was like in high school modeling and doing makeup and stuff, it really, really helped me dive deeper into the world of fashion because it all kind of goes hand-in-hand a little bit. And I just really fell in love with it. And then I went to college and I started as an intern for Syracuse. who's Fashion Week, and I loved it. And Lisa and I just hit it off. She's the founder. And we shared

a lot of great ideas, and now she can't get rid of me. It's been like five years, I think, now of me being here, but it's been really cool. And I just find it so fulfilling, you know, it's a very different sort of like hustle from, like, makeup and modeling and stuff. This is, it's really cool. And it's, you know, the night of the shows, it's really fast-paced and crazy, and there's models running around and hair and makeup getting done. And it's, like, a crazy fast-paced environment. And I, like, love it. That's where I thrive, I think. Chalk that up to being, like, the youngest sibling of Thor.

There's so many of us. So I'm used to, like, the craziness. But I loved it. And, yeah, now I'm here. Wonderful. I'm getting, like, Devil Wears Prada vibes, you know, with, like, Anne Hathaway or whatever. Are you kind of Anne Hathaway in the movie? I don't know.

I like to, I mean, yeah, but like on a nicer kinder. Yeah, you're saying she's not the worst. Like, Burrell Street for the movie, though, Anne Hathaway's character is more like level-headed, fun, whatever. I like to think I really want it to be a welcoming environment for everybody involved. Because it's really funny. I think it's been helpful for me because I was a makeup artist. So for the hair and makeup team back there,

I can really understand the stress that they're going through. You know, they have to do things. 30 models hair and makeup in like X amount of time. It's crazy. So I really feel for them because I am one. And then I was a model and I kind of understand, you know, it can be really nerve-wracking, you know, putting on somebody else's clothes that they've made for you

and walking in front of a bunch of people. It's kind of crazy. But I try to, I think it's been helpful for me because I kind of know a little bit of what they're going through. So I feel like I'm, do you need water? Are you hungry? Can I do anything to help you? So I'm trying to like run around and make sure everybody's happy and comfortable and stuff. But yeah. Wonderful. Maybe this is an assumption or maybe this is just an observation that I have. But like when I walk around Syracuse and I look at the people and how they're dressed around here, I don't think to myself, oh, Syracuse is the highest fashion city in the world. Do you have any tips for Syracuse locals that are, you know, trying to up their fashion game? Anything like that? So there are so many. I used to think the same thing.

Okay. I did. Yeah. And then, you know, you're traveling around and you're going to a cool big city as like New York City and stuff. And you're like, wow, all these clothes and whatever. And then once I was here and I really opened my eyes and, you know, got into the fashion space here, there are so many different designers and just local boutiques that are so amazing. And, you know, I think with Syracuse, you don't think there's. a lot here. And then you find these little like vintage shops that have these amazing clothes

and the people working there are styling them and it's gorgeous and you're like, holy crap, this looks like it should be in New York City, you know? But there's a lot of places downtown that have really great clothing. There's a lot of designers from our local colleges like Le Moyne and S.U. That, you know, there are students that are young and like finding their their footing and they are really, really great. Cool. And they get to come and promote their stuff in our fashion shows. It's really cool seeing them grow.

In my time here, I feel like I've seen, you know, designers and boutiques with these great designs grow immensely. It's been, it's been really cool. But I recommend just walking around downtown and go, if you, if there's a shop that you have been like eyeing and you're curious about going there. Yeah. You're going to find something. That's, can you name a few of them?

I don't mean to put you on the spot. No, that's okay. But which ones? Like, which, I don't know. So there's the cherry pit, which I really, really love. They're a vintage shop. I'm a huge vintage lover. Everything about it, all the clothing and things that I have, I try to get vintage

because I think, one, they're made really well. They're made to last. They were made in 1990, and at 2026, you know, they've lasted a good amount of time, and they're probably going to last a little bit longer. So I really love vintage shops. The cherry pit has been great because they have a, few different vendors in that space, which is really cool. I stumbled in there on my lunch break one day, and I was like, oh, my God, I got like four

dresses, and it was amazing, and pieces I ended up wearing some of the fashion shows. So that's been really cool. They're one I really love. There was La Veranda. I really like their stuff as well. She's been really great. She showed some of her stuff in the fashion shows as well. Boom babies, you know, if you want something more formal.

They're really great for gowns. And then they also have a vintage shop too, which I didn't even know existed until I got breakfast and was walking around. And I was like, holy crap. And again, bought some stuff. Cool. But it's so cool. You know, there are these places that pop up that look really interesting that you don't really think anything of, you know, because it's smaller and you walk in there. And they have the most beautiful things that, you know, you've seen in a while.

So it's really cool. Wonderful. If I am a young person and I'm like. like, fashion's cool. I like Tyro Banks. What do I do if I'm in Syracuse? How do I get involved? How do I start designing? How do I start modeling? How do I start getting inside of the fashion world here in Syracuse? Yeah. So that's a great question. I guess if you want to start designing or if you're interested in modeling or doing makeup, those are all slightly different from one another. I mean, Syracuse Fashion Week has all of those combined.

So I think it would be a really great opportunity to come to a show. Talk to me. You reach out to me. I'm like more than willing to help anybody, especially if you want to get more involved with Syracuse Fashion Week. If you want more experience for, if you're a makeup artist and you want to build your portfolio and get experience in that fast-paced environment, come to Syracuse Fashion Week, I will hook you up and I'll get you a spot and you can start doing makeup on the model.

I love it. And then we have a model casting usually for the models before the shows. That's really great, too, if you want to come and model. And if anything, it's a really great practice, too. If you haven't done modeling before and if you are interested in runway, it's really cool. You can go there. You can get some tips, some feedback. And, you know, that's really, really special.

And then for designers, you know, again, reach out to me. I love, love to promote the up and coming designers around here. I think, you know, that's what Syracuse Fashion Week was, you know, that's how we started. There's these little boutiques and designers that are so great, and this is a really good spot for them to showcase their work. So, reach out to me. I will help you the best that I know how. How do we reach out to you? What is your email?

So my email is my first and last name at gmail.com. So can you spell that for us really quick? Yep. So it's Z-O-E and then France like the country, money without. the Y at Gmail. Gotcha. Gotcha. Fantastic.

Cool. Cool. So when is the next? So if people are going to get involved, the earliest they can probably get involved, because this is entirely sold out except for five tickets, which is incredible. Congratulations. Yeah. Thank you.

Absolutely. If they wanted to get involved in the next one, when should they start kind of thinking about looking at, hey, cool, how can I apply to be a model, that sort of thing? Yeah. Sorry. Didn't mean to cut you off. You're fine. Reach out to me immediately.

Okay. Right now. After the show's end, which is this. Saturday, we take Sunday to kind of breathe for a second. And then Monday, it's like, hey, what dates work for next for the next one? For the fall. And then we just kind of start rolling there. So once we decide on the dates, we start scouring the city for designers and all that good stuff. And then there will be casting and everything per usual. But yeah, definitely reach out to me like as soon as possible. I'm usually really good at remembering when somebody wants to get involved as we get closer.

I will reach out to you. Cool. I will get back, I promise. That's wonderful. Do you guys have a larger mission? I know you mentioned you work a lot with the Syracuse Food Bank and everything, but do you have any values or guiding principles that like, what is the organization kind of stand for?

Is that something that you think about? Yeah. So the motto here is kind of, you know, we're inclusive, not exclusive. So we want everybody to feel comfortable and feel like they have a place in Syracuse Fashion Week, right? If you want to, if you're a little girl and you've always wanted to model, like, there are some designers that are mommy and me. We would love to, you know, we'd love to see you. I think it's so great to focus on, you know, everybody, rather than, you know, you don't have to be like a 20-year-old fresh model. You can be anybody.

And I think that's one of the great things about us is, you know, we just want everybody to come and we want to have a space for all the creatives here in Syracuse to come together and celebrate fashion and share ideas. and it's been really cool seeing, you know, relationships blossom between, like, our hair and makeup artists and the different designers and the models. And some of the models have built such great relationships with the designers. So it's funny that the fashion show this year, some of the designers have the same models walking for them that have walked in prior years just because they have built such close relationships. And it's been really great. But, yeah, we just want to include everyone. Wonderful. So inclusivity, that makes a lot of sense. That's very cool. When did you start working with the Syracuse Food Bank? So we have, so we started in 2014 and we started when we started the actual fashion show. So the week, we partnered with a food bank pretty early on. So right away.

Cool. Wonderful. Very cool. Yeah. Well, all right, if I'm coming next year, because this year is pretty much sold out, when, how do I buy tickets and where, go ahead and plug? Where can I get more tickets? information. Yeah. We are Syracuse Fashion Week everywhere. Go to Syracuse Fashion Week.com. You'll see our website with all of the show dates, the links to buy tickets, and then there's press and all that stuff too. So if you want to read a little bit more about us, you can do it there.

And we're Syracuse Fashion Week on Instagram and Facebook and every platform. Fantastic. Well, Zoe, thank you so much. Seriously, I really appreciate the conversation. And thank you guys for watching. My name is Noah Chrysler. This is Good News York. See you next time.

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