Erie 1 BOCES FUSION ’25 Fashion Show To Highlight Sustainability, Increased Enrollment

Growing interest in fashion and environmental sustainability is driving record enrollment and excitement in Erie 1 BOCES’ Fashion Design Technology program ahead of FUSION ’25 Fashion Show: Portals of Illusion. 

The show, which will take place at 7 p.m. on April 3 at Salvatore’s Italian Garden, 6461 Transit Rd, Depew, will showcase the work of 24 high school fashion students from across Western New York. This year’s class of designers is the largest since the show was first held in 2009.  

“It’s the culmination of the many aspects of what students learn and experience in this program,” said instructor Darlene Borchert. “It is this event that they look most forward to when registering for our fashion program.” 

The theme for this year's show, Portals of Illusion, was developed by students and will allow for multiple clothing styles to be presented through the evening. 

One new element for this year’s show is a series of sustainably upcycled fashion designs created with clothing acquired by students with support from Goodwill of Western New York. Rebecca Miskell, Customer and Donor Engagement Coordinator for the organization, said she could see the enthusiasm on the fashion students’ faces as they found items and visualized potential new uses. 

“These young adults have such brilliant minds that they’re willing to recycle and reuse items to create something that’s beautiful,” Miskell said. “Sustainability is more than just a fad. This is here to stay.” 

Interest in the program has grown in recent years, allowing the program to expand from a single classroom at the Harkness Career and Technical Center to a second classroom at the Potter Career and Technical Center.  

Instructor Elizabeth Acevedo, a program alumnus who teaches the newly established Potter class, said student word of mouth and social media have helped propel the heightened interest. 

“They pass by our classrooms and tell their friends what it’s all about,” Acevedo said. “They’re sharing on their social media and telling their friends, ‘Maybe this is something we can do on our own.’”  

Students exhibiting their work at the fashion show include:  

Harkness: Nooralhuda Alhasan (Cleveland Hill Union Free School District), Solwyn-Delia Garriga (Williamsville Central School District), Taylor Harris (Williamsville Central School District), Lafonso Jones (Gateway-Longview Lynde School), Isabella Maggio (Williamsville Central School District), Adrianna Martone (Williamsville Central School District), Kameron Matyjas (Williamsville Central School District), Charlise McDaniel (Williamsville Central School District), Mia Moore (Amherst Central School District), Alyssa Sole (Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District),  

Potter: Dallas Adkins (Akron Central School District), Ananya Barrera (East Aurora Union Free School District), Kazuhisa Beck (East Aurora Union Free School District), Vince Bonk (Frontier Central School District), Holly Cecere (Lancaster Central School District), Cadence Celotto (West Seneca Central School District), Hope Hearn (West Seneca Central School District), Olivia Luniewski (Hamburg Central School District), Augustine Miklasz (Hamburg Central School District), Charlotte Nowak (Grand Island Central School District), Ella Pieters (East Aurora Union Free School District), Madison Stebbins (Hamburg Central School District), Brodeur Tedesco (Akron Central School District), Carmella Wieczorek (Hamburg Central School District).  

The two-year Fashion Design Technology program teaches students how to dress, style and create trends based on design elements and the fashion cycle.  Students in the program also develop business plans as a part of their studies, setting them up for future success. The students’ work included creating the posters and tickets for the show.    

Tickets for this year’s show are $10 and can be purchased at the door. For more information about the show, visit https://www.e1b.org/en/k-12-education-programs/fusion-2025.aspx.