My outfit was inspired by my Japanese and Hawaiian heritage, as well as the elegance of stained glass windows and the vibrant beauty of peacocks. The designs of the fans draws from the delicate cherry blossoms that bloom throughout Japan. In Hawaiian culture, the sea--kai--is deeply valued, and I incorporated this significance through a stained glass mural of the sea. This element is also influenced by The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the iconic art piece by Katsushika Hokusai. I believe that connecting with your heritage is deeply meaningful, and I'm grateful that this contest allowed me to express and celebrate my cultural roots through art and design.
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Taylor
R.
9
Rolls
25
Hours
Inspiration:
My inspiration for the outfit was the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. I made heart playing cards since her guards are made of cards. I also made the rose top to represent her love for red roses. Then, I obviously added a significant amount of hearts since she is the Queen of Hearts.
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Kelly
K.
24
Rolls
109
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress is more than just duct tape—it's a symbol of culture, creativity, and resilience. Inspired by traditional Polish garments, I designed it to honor my heritage and the strength of the women in my life.
As one of seven siblings and the daughter of Polish immigrants, I grew up with limited resources but endless imagination. Every flower on the dress represents a member of my family, and the butterfly-wing opening of the skirt reflects my growth as both a person and a designer.
This piece was my way of turning struggle into art and tradition into bold, wearable expression. My dress isn't just about fashion, it’s about identity, memory, and taking pride in where I come from. It proves that beauty can grow out of challenge, and that even something as unexpected as duct tape can be transformed into something powerful.
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Marissa
L.
9
Rolls
10
Hours
Inspiration:
I pictured a futuristic, colorful and dynamic piece that would look similar to what I pictured Marie Antionette’s costume would be if she was in the musical “Six”. Not sure why exactly this is what came to mind, but it seemed to suit my personality of being both feminine, bold, and different. I think that also having the freedom to truly do whatever I wanted pushed me to explore more unconventional (and more risky, competition wise) hit or miss themes.
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Angel
T.
2
Rolls
3
Hours
Inspiration:
One of my Inspirations was My love for suits and my favorite colors.
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Mackenzie
S.
14
Rolls
9
Hours
Inspiration:
In my head, while designing this dress, I was imagining what my personality would be like as a dress. I wanted something big and exotic while also remaining classy and chic so that I would actually want to wear the dress for a current day prom. I think I was able to achieve exactly what I was looking for in the small details along with the use of shape and 3D elements.
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Siena
M.
15
Rolls
59
Hours
Inspiration:
My inspiration was a combination of personal and meaningful themes:
My dream college’s colors—a symbol of my future, education, and goals.
UNICEF Unites (Siena’s Squad)—representing my leadership, commitment to helping others, and passion for making a difference.
My love for music—expressed through music notes and symbols, highlighting my goal to use my voice and talents to inspire, support, and bring hope to others.
My personal story—overcoming challenges, including the loss of my college savings, and turning that into a drive to create something meaningful, beautiful, and reflective of who I am.
My dress is not just a creative project—it’s a symbol of resilience, my journey, and the way I hope to use my creativity and talents to inspire and help others
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Julian
H.
9
Rolls
57
Hours
Inspiration:
My duct tape prom suit was inspired by the vibrant culture and traditions of Africa. I drew from the iconic Kente cloth, known for its bold colors and geometric patterns, which represent African heritage, pride, and identity. Using duct tape, I recreated these intricate designs and integrated them across my entire suit: jacket, pants, and accessories.
To deepen the cultural significance, I incorporated Adinkra symbols from West Africa, each chosen for its powerful meaning. Some of the symbols on my suit represent initiative, fearlessness ("I fear nothing but God"), good fortune, and greatness. These values guide my life, and wearing them gave my design a personal and purposeful message. Every detail was crafted by hand, using only duct tape, to reflect the spirit of African art and storytelling. Through this design, I was able to connect with my heritage and express it in a modern, original way.
My suit is more than just a look; it's a celebration of culture, identity, and creativity.
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Abigail
M.
47
Rolls
186
Hours
Inspiration:
My faith and my art have always been inextricable parts of my identity, and this project has allowed me to combine the two in a way I never could before. After my grandfather passed, I questioned my faith a lot. He was a priest and an artist and an inspiration to me in both categories. This project made me feel closer to him and closer to God as I recalled the bible stories he told me when I was little. The feeding of the five thousand represents my own struggle with overwhelming odds and my identity as a queer person in the faith.
Below that is the feeding of the five thousand is Daniel in the lions’ den, a story that has helped me personally to remain faithful in many difficult times. On the other half of the skirt, Noah’s arc represents my mental health issues, an ongoing struggle that I fight each day, and one of the main setbacks for this project. Below that, the footprints in the sand, a poem my mother was particularly close to just before I was born. In the poem, God reminds the narrator that when they see only one set of footprints in dark times, it is because he carried them through it. Despite not being a biblical story, I had to include it in the design.
In the center of the skirt is Jesus acting as shepherd to sheep, light splitting through the dark colors of the bodice to guide the flock. The dove on the back of the hood is the source of that guiding light, as the Holy Spirit has guided me. The darker colors on the bodice and inner skirt represent the heart problems I recently developed, the darkness I saw when a seizure put me in the emergency room on Christmas day, and the fear building as I went longer without a diagnosis. But then the blooming Easter lilies and the cross on my chest show my hope that the new treatment plan will work.
On the inside of the hood is the rainbow, for me, a symbol of God’s love extending to all, no matter ability, race, gender, or sexuality. I feel more secure in my faith after this project and I hope I was able to effectively express through this new medium how much each of these stories means to me.
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Sascha
S.
12
Rolls
155
Hours
Inspiration:
I was inspired by the vibrant colors and natural beauty of flowers. This dress is based on a Dahlia flower (which is my favorite).
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Addison
M.
24
Rolls
49
Hours
Inspiration:
I've always been an avid reader and imagined going to a fantasy ball or dressing as a character from a book. So I drew inspiration from books I had read and decided I wanted a dragon themed dress. To go along with that, I wanted it to be in the colors of my future school (purple and white). When I tried on the dress after I finished it it made me so proud. I felt really empowered and like I was the main character I read about. I'm just so happy that I decided to test my limits and do something I've never done before.
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Antony
W.
10
Rolls
13
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for my outfit came from the intersection of my heritage and personal passions. The white suit with pinstripes reflects both my English ancestry and my identity as a Black American, blending tradition with cultural expression. The paisley lapel symbolizes the rich, diverse influences that shape my identity, while the overall look is inspired by the elegance and style often seen in golf—an activity that has helped my family connect, grow, and find community in a new country.
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Charlotte
M.
9
Rolls
15
Hours
Inspiration:
For my project I decided to model it after a butterfly landing on a flower. The butterfly was modeled after a Blue Morpho butterfly, one of the largest butterflies in the world and a personal favorite of mine.
There was a lot of difficulties in putting the dress together, like finding a way to attach the wings to the bodice, and creating the wire boning/outline for the wings and the bodice.
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Lynn
S.
7
Rolls
24
Hours
Inspiration:
The inspiration for the dress is Asian and Chinese culture, specifically the Chinese dragon art depictions in media. Having a love for fashion the traditional Chinese outfits with the cut out in the top has always been a favorite in fashion and i wanted to incorporate those elements as well as my favorite colors and art.
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Teagan
G.
15
Rolls
35
Hours
Inspiration:
My dress is inspired by the monarch butterfly, a symbol of transformation, resilience, and new beginnings. I chose its vibrant orange to reflect the joy and hope I feel as I graduate and step into the world. Like the monarch, which travels vast distances yet always finds its way home, I want this dress to represent strength, joy, and the support that carries us wherever we go. To bring that vision to life, I used recycled clothing as the base and spent hours cutting, layering, and assembling panels by hand to mimic fluttering wings. I also did not have a mannequin and had to construct the dress on myself, which added another level of difficulty to the process. The skirt’s weight made construction tricky, but each layer added depth, movement, and structure.
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Kimberly
E.
27
Rolls
26
Hours
Inspiration:
My inspiration came from my interest in Veterinary Science and my time as a Veterinary Assistant student at the East Valley Institute of Technology. My use of teal in my dress reflects my second year uniform colors.
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Alexandra
B.
11
Rolls
22
Hours
Inspiration:
I’ve been obsessed with the circus for years, attending every show that comes to town, learning to juggle, sewing my own clown costumes, and even taking flying trapeze classes at my local circus center. I just can’t get enough. When I decided to enter this competition, I knew right away that I wanted to honor the community that has welcomed and inspired me. My design is based on the classic ringmaster costume, but with a twist. I blended both masculine and feminine elements to reflect the circus’s long history of playfully bending gender norms. I thought I knew exactly what I was doing, but quickly realized this project would be much more challenging than expected. After lots of trial and error, problem-solving, and a few setbacks, I created something I’m truly proud of. To me, this piece represents the center point of my circus journey and I hope you love it as much as I do!
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Liviana
G.
23
Rolls
127
Hours
Inspiration:
This duct tape dress I created was inspired by my love for travel and the amazing bond I have w/ my mom, who raised me on her own. She's always encouraging me to try new things and explore. When I visited Australia, I fell in love with its nature and the ocean, especially the Great Barrier Reef. Sadly, the reef is losing its color and beauty, so I designed this dress to show off the incredible colors of the coral reef. It's made w/ lots of layers and details so you can really see the intricacies of it. My dream is to go to fashion school and use my designs to create something that is unique and has meaning. This scholarship would mean so much to me and help me to attend my dream college!