Collins Leaves MHS Fashion Design Program After 46 Years

MARLBOROUGH – Mrs. Collins is about to sew her final hem.

After more than four decades of guiding students on how to transform fabrics into clothing, Roberta Garcia-Collins is retiring as a fashion design teacher at Marlborough High School.

“Roberta Collins has positively impacted the lives of thousands of students during her 46 years of service at MHS. To say she is an educational legend would be an understatement,” said MHS Principal Daniel Riley.

Since the 1980s, when shoulder pads and longer hair were a thing, Collins — Mrs. Collins to her students — has helped students build wardrobes in almost every shape and size, from dresses to blazers.

The workspace: two classrooms adjoining the main entrance of the school. One room is used for drawing patterns, storing fabric samples and sewing machines; the other room is used for making and storing clothes.

Collins showed a nearly finished blazer; she pointed out the heavy fabric (like so many other materials, it was donated to the class), the way it was sewn, the work still needed before it was finished.

Nearby, mannequins displayed other projects in progress, including a striped shirt, a dress and a blazer.

In this course, which lasts the entire school year (instead of semesters), students “get to touch everything,” Collins said.

Sewing is “all about math and science,” Collins said, from measuring fabrics to how fabrics react to certain cuts.

“It’s a great thing to learn,” she said.

Most of her students come in with no prior sewing experience. Over the course of the year, “they gain confidence. They learn fashion,” Collins said.

The evidence is clear: Dozens of photos of students past and present are tucked away in closets. They are displayed with their creations. The photos are taken by their fashion classmates — another aspect of learning fashion, she said.

Just outside the classroom, there is a display case highlighting the program's students of the month.

“Their parents are so proud,” she said.

Some students even offer a hemming service for faculty and staff during the year for a nominal fee.

Shaping a career

Collins, a Marlborough High graduate, began her career in 1978 through the Excellence-Based Career Education program.

“I worked with students who didn’t want to go to school,” she said.

After two years at EBCE, Collins learned that sewing teacher Anita Fox was retiring and decided to apply for the position. She landed a job she would hold for the next 44 years.

She said she stayed in touch with Fox after his retirement, sending him a VHS tape of the fashion show each year.

Although Fox has since died, Collins said that whenever students messed up a project, “the ghost of Mrs. Fox” took the blame.

Students learn that “making mistakes” is part of the process.

“There’s no judgment here,” Collins said. “It’s a really welcoming community.”

There is one thing that is not welcome: swearing.

“You’re here to be classy,” Collins told his students.

She also emphasizes the need for teamwork among students.

“I'm here to help them, but I don't work for them,” she said.

She said the fashion design program has become “one of the largest in the state,” with students actively recruited by college-level programs across the country.

Fashion show

Of course, students have the opportunity to show off their creations during one of the school's oldest traditions: the annual fashion show.

“It’s a community event,” Collins said. “It definitely shows that we’re doing a good job here.”

On May 1, as part of the annual show, alumni, students and staff surprised Collins. She received a citation from Mayor J. Christian Dumais; several of her former students showed up in the clothes she made during her class.

Come down on the podium again

As she wraps up her Marlborough High School career, Collins said she is grateful for the community's support.

Once she retires, Collins plans to bodyboard, dance and stay connected with her hundreds of students.

“It's nice to have lifelong relationships,” she said.

Her successor, Tarra Walker, is one of Collins' former students and is currently a digital arts teacher at Whitcomb Middle School.

There may or may not be a “ghost of Mrs. Collins” in these classrooms, but her presence will be felt for years to come.

“Throughout the years, she has never lost her passion for helping young people achieve their goals and pursue their dreams. Many students come back after graduation and express their gratitude for all she has given them. She does everything for the kids and can never truly be replaced,” Riley said.