Los Angeles teen Karla Torres has made it to the final round of Duct Tape’s 23rd Annual Stuck at Prom contest. High school students from across the country build elaborate formalwear out of the utility tape. Duct Tape then reviews the hundreds of entries before narrowing it down to the top 10. Contestants are rated on their use of color, craftsmanship, originality, and accessories for their crafty duds. The grand prizes are in two different categories for $10,000 each in scholarship money.
Torres committed 120 hours of her time, and used 14 rolls worth of duct tape to make her one-of-a-kind prom dress as part of the nationwide contest. Basing her design on 18th-century French art. The ensemble features pastel floral prints and gold highlights, which are hallmarks of that style.
“I was captivated by the amount of gold and extravagant paintings they had on display,” Torres said, about a trip she took to the Getty Museum. “It was a time period of luxurious gowns full of lace, floral prints, ribbons, and ruffles. So I wanted to incorporate some of these elements into my dress.”
The teen says that she is interested in the art of fashion and different styles throughout history. So she wanted to “showcase a dress that reflects a glamorous era of fashion.” And this unique concept clearly paid off since she is one of the five finalists in the contest’s dress category.
“It would be an honor to win this scholarship as first generation Latina student,” Torres wrote in an email to KTLA. “I hope to serve as an example for my community that anything is possible!”
Torres is a recent graduate of Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Los Angeles. She plans to attend college to major in business marketing, with hopes to eventually pursue fashion as a career.
Voting for the Stuck at Prom contest is already open. Votes can be made every 24 hours through July 12th. You can see the rest of the designs and vote for your favorites here.
