Forty models covered in professional makeup, leather outfits and fake blood will walk down the runway at the third annual Syracuse Snarl Show this weekend.

The fashion show, put on by Syracuse Fashion Week, will be on Saturday Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. at the Landmark Theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and include entry into both the fashion show and an after-party. The show also includes a costume contest and a 50/50 raffle.

Preparation for the show began in late July, with Syracuse Fashion Week representatives reaching out to local designers, said Lisa Butler, the organization’s head director. Now, along with the 40 models, there are eight hairstylists and eight makeup artists working to make the event happen.

In the spirit of Halloween, the event will showcase iconic horror movie characters, including characters from “Carrie,” “Poltergeist,” “The Bride of Frankenstein,” “Friday the 13th” and “The Exorcist.” Each of the films the show selected has an entire look created around it. Most of the looks are from Syracuse Fashion Week’s own line of clothing.

At the start of the event, the models and the clothing they wear will be like any other fashion show. But, as the night progresses, the models’ costumes will start to get wilder. Women and men dressed as zombies, vampires and corpses will saunter down the long runway, Shannon Fleming said.

“We start with very traditional fashion-based designs,” said Fleming, the show’s hair and makeup coordinator. “Then we go crazy.”

Most of the artists have worked at Syracuse Fashion Week before, but some are new to the organization. Since the show has a mix of traditional and horror looks, experienced artists had to be found to pull off the fake blood and cinematic makeup, while also being able to use high-fashion makeup. Butler said the show will “explode with the horror-themed looks.”

Both Butler and Fleming hinted at a couple surprises during the show and after-party.

“We have a great DJ,” Fleming said. “It’ll be a lot of fun, so stick around after the show.”

The event will also have multiple vendors with Halloween-themed products. Carmelo’s Ink City, a local tattoo parlor, will bring some full-body paint art. Guests are encouraged to come in costume to compete in the annual costume contest.

The Landmark Theater will play an integral part of the show.

“It’s crazy beautiful,” Butler said. “It’s a historic, old-time movie palace, and it’s haunted.”

Legend states Clarissa is one of Landmark’s resident ghosts and has famously haunted the theater for decades. Landmark’s employees and professional ghost hunters say that not only do the ghosts exist, but their presence adds to the theater’s atmosphere.

Legend has it that in the early 1930s, shortly after the theater opened, Clarissa witnessed her lover die of electrocution while working backstage. Another version of the tale states that she was an actress who was distraught from losing an important audition. The story ends the same way with Clarissa throwing herself off the balcony.

Published on October 7, 2015 at 10:00 pm

Contact Andy: amendes@syr.edu