I knew that if I was going to make my own prom dress out of duct tape, it had to be puffy and frilly and purple. I’m also a fan of fashion history, so I chose to base my designs off of 1860s ballgowns. Using this as a jumping off point, I created the (duct tape) gown of my dreams. I designed all of the lace patterns and the cameo, and had them cut out of a craft machine. I think my favorite part is the scalloped lace on the bottom of the pink skirt.
Stuck At Prom
madison
r.
9
Rolls
17
Hours
Inspiration:
I received an email and I thought it would be fun to try. I did not know where to start so it was a fun experience figuring it all out.
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Katie
C.
19
Rolls
72
Hours
Inspiration:
I wanted to create a dress inspired by Tiffany lamps. My grandma loves them and has a ton around the house. I've always been in awe of the intricate designs. I used a mosaic style to simulate the look of one. With the black duck tape as a background, to imitate the soldering process to make them. It was like a more complicated jigsaw puzzle!
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Olivia
C.
11
Rolls
20
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress is inspired by where I come from and where I'm headed. As a Southern girl with a little cowgirl spirit, I wanted a design that felt bold, bright, and completely me. Yellow has always been my favorite color because it can turn an ordinary day into a good one, so I made it the heart of my dress. The layers, movement, and shimmer represent all the dreams, challenges, and opportunities ahead as I get ready for college. This dress is my reminder to keep my boots on the ground while reaching for bigger goals. Every piece was handcrafted from duct tape to show that with creativity, hard work, and determination, you can turn something simple into something unforgettable.
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ava
m.
14
Rolls
20
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for my dress stemmed from my love of gothic fashion. I'm drawn to dark elegance, dramatic silhouettes, and intricate details that are characteristic of the gothic style. To bring this vision to life, I carefully shaped and layered duck tape to mimic flowing forms and textures typically seen in gothic fashion. The two and three dimensional emblems helped shape this role even more by capturing the bold and mysterious aesthetic of the style while also showcasing my creativity through an unconventional medium.
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Khloe
S.
18
Rolls
53
Hours
Inspiration:
I got a lot of my inspiration from 2000’s prom dresses because I love the style. I took characteristics of multiple dresses and put my own spin on them to create my dress. Additionally, this dress is meant to represent me and my journey in understanding who I am as a person. I incorporated blues and teals not only because they are my favorite colors but also because they represent balance and clarity. Plus, the white lily, a sign of rebirth, symbolizes my personal growth throughout the years. Overall, my dress is simple and elegant while still being original.
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Rylee
L.
10
Rolls
45
Hours
Inspiration:
Inspiration article
My Duck tape dress was inspired by my journey toward seeing my own beauty when I was growing up. For a long time, I struggled with self-confidence and often focused on my flaws, doubts, and how pretty others were instead of my own self. During this time, I learned an interesting fact about butterflies: They can’t see their wings. Even though their wings are beautiful and sometimes even jaw-dropping, they are unable to see it for themselves. This reminded me of how many people, including myself, often fail to recognize their own worth and beauty. My dress uses butterfly imagery to symbolize growth, transformation, and self-acceptance. Just as a butterfly changes and becomes something beautiful, I have learned that beauty is not about perfection, but about embracing who you are. Through this design, I hope to encourage others to see themselves the way the people who care about them do- with beauty, strength, and in value.
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Mary
V.
13
Rolls
150
Hours
Inspiration:
I was incredibly excited when I saw this competition because I realized it would give me the opportunity to create something truly stunning. Strength and courage have always inspired me, so I set out to design a piece that captures and reflects those qualities. I wanted to create a dress that speaks of strength, elegance, and power while also showcasing beauty and femininity. My goal was to balance these contrasting qualities, creating a design that is both commanding and graceful. I was inspired by the strong women of the past and wanted to bring their strength into this piece. Throughout history, many women have shown incredible courage, determination, and resilience in the face of adversity. I wanted this dress to serve as a tribute to their strength, perseverance, and the sacrifices they made to pave the way for future generations.
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Anya
P.
13
Rolls
20
Hours
Inspiration:
I was inspired by the 2000s ruffly and fun scene/emo prom dresses with the combination of traditional corsetry. I was also inspired by the color combination of black and pink, one of my favorite color combos, because of the contrast. I took inspiration from the shows I watched when I was young, like Winx Club and Monster High. Since I was using such a non-traditional medium, I wanted my dress to have an edgy vibe
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Emily
F.
15
Rolls
75
Hours
Inspiration:
My inspiration for this dress was a Monarch butterfly. I've had a special love for Monarchs for the past year or so, ever since I helped nurse an injured one back to health. In that time I became fascinated with Monarchs beautiful wings and delicate frames. When I heard about this scholarship I immediately began brainstorming ideas, themes, and styles but nothing stuck. Eventually I drew out a design inspired by a monarch and instantly my heart was set on turning that sketch into reality. To create the bodice I basically wrapped myself in tape to get a corset like top. The layered structure and silhouette of the skirt was inspired by Glinda's bubble dress in Wicked. To create the dress I utilized many templates and stencils to help me create the many wings of the skirt. In the end the skirt was comprised of nearly fifty individual wings. Because the dress was so heavy I made a hoop skirt out of duct tape and cardboard to hold the skirts shape.
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Aiyana
M.
27
Rolls
53
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress was inspired by Mardi Gras, a celebration I have long admired for its vibrant colors, elaborate costumes, and joyful spirit. Using 27 rolls of Duck Tape and more than 53 hours of work, I brought that inspiration to life through the iconic purple, green, and gold color palette, bold geometric patterns, alligator-scale textures, and handmade accessories. Every detail was intentionally designed to capture the energy of Mardi Gras and transform an everyday material into a wearable piece of art.
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McKenna
D.
27
Rolls
21
Hours
Inspiration:
I was heavily inspired by the night sky and fantastical dresses. As somebody about to start their first year in fashion design at Toronto Metropolitan University, I felt like this scholarship would be a good challenge of my current skill set and allow me to be creative in a way a lot of other scholarships I applied for didn’t allow me to be. I used a lot of my background in making cosplays to help guide me in the making process, but still ran into a lot of issues. I tried to use the tape exactly like fabric, but had to alter lots of my usual techniques when the tape didn’t respond in the way I wanted it to. This dress was a struggle and a labour of love, and I hope people can see the effort that went into it in the final product.
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Olivia
B.
26
Rolls
65
Hours
Inspiration:
I knew I wanted something unconventional. I wanted something different and wild in its own way. I decided to make it inspired by an animal, which led me to mythical creatures, and somehow I landed on a phoenix. I designed my dress digitally first, then I created the bodice, then the skirt on my dress form. Lastly I created the feathers for the bottom of the dress and the wings. The wings definitely took the longest.
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Baron
H.
5
Rolls
25
Hours
Inspiration:
If you knew anything about me, you would know that art has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember, and one of the first artists I fell in love with was Romero Brito. In his designs, not only are his works colorful, but they also frequently incorporate heart symbols. These were the two elements I wanted to make the focus of my project. That is why, on both the pants and the jacket, I used a variety of colors to capture the vibrant nature of Brito’s artwork, along with hearts inspired by his signature style.
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Paige
L.
15
Rolls
80
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for my dress came from my love of the "puffer" look. I started with a sketch and then added the colors. Then I made my vision come to life with duct tape. I will be attending college in the Fall, studying Fashion Design. I am looking forward to creating more inspiring looks in the future.
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Slade
B.
23
Rolls
104
Hours
Inspiration:
I have been obsessed with dragons since early elementary school. The thought of a cool, flying, fire-breathing, lizard tickled my brain in just the right spot. I’ve read books, watched movies/shows, and played games that feature dragons in all their glory. My love for them was so strong that it was, for a while, the only thing I would draw. Looking through my old art I can see how early on dragons started appearing in them and how I have improved over time. I’m grateful to my friend for inviting me to participate in this scholarship with them along with giving me the suggestion for the dragon theme. I also ended up using a technique that I have never seen anyone else use to create their outfit. That's either because it is a secret art that is gatekept by others, or because it is extremely inefficient. This style to make my tux is what I'm dubbing as “Skeleton Paneling”. I made a stringy outline of clothing using tape fabric, the skeleton, and then made sheets to be put on the skeleton, the paneling. The mask was made by cutting a cardstock mask and using poster board to make the shape of a dragon head, and tail is a pool noodle that is shaved on one end and wrapped in crumpled tape on the other end. The cane is a broken tamper handle wrapped in tape. The claws are origami claws, but instead of paper they’re tape! Overall this was a really fun and challenging scholarship to be in. I got to show off my creativity, and express my love for dragons. I’m looking forward to seeing how the competition plays out, and I wish everyone the best of luck!
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Alexandra
P.
17
Rolls
41
Hours
Inspiration:
I was inspired by the concept of growth. The design of the dress is a testament to the growth of fashion with the bottom of the dress taking inspiration from flappers of the 1920s while the top is inspired by the more structured runway fashion of the 2020s. I was inspired by the dichotomy of the two eras and how that represents societal growth. The flapper movement was fashion’s response to the structure of the 1800s and early 1900s yet women’s fashion has circled right back to the structure it defied 100 years ago. This cycle is represented by the florals and earth tones that suggest the growth within nature follows a similar cyclical pattern. Growth is the most important concept in not only society but nature because without growth where would we be. Exploring the growth of society through fashion is a very big inspiration in my creative process and has inspired me to begin studying costume design in the fall at Emerson College!
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Nicolas
G.
18
Rolls
30
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for my duct tape tuxedo was based upon the history of the tuxedo and elements it details. Being a hockey fan and watching games on TV, viewers see clips of the hockey players walking into the arenas dressed in formal attire before the games. I took this element of formality and hockey and combined it into my own tuxedo creation.
