12 Rolls
24 Hours
After reviewing Victorian Era ball gowns due to my interest in books from that era, I chose a ball gown from that era adding a modern color. The shawl and belt were included to add more depth to the project.
14 Rolls
35 Hours
For my entire life, I have loved fashion and fancy dresses. Creating this dress was especially fun, because I was able to make my own design, using my favorite colors and unique materials such as real flowers. Honestly, I didn't really have a specific inspiration, just a lot of styles and ideas thrown together.
12 Rolls
118 Hours
Recently, Christina Koch posted a photo of the Earth from space with herself and her braid in the foreground. In an interview, she said that at first she thought the braid was in the way, but then she said, "I suddenly realized what it meant". Braids connect women of all cultures. My inspiration for the dress was the true beauty of America, its people. Elements of this dress were inspired by flapper style and the Art Deco architecture of New York City. While it is an American silhouette, the American silhouette is one that is worn by all. Humanity is a shared experience, no matter where someone came from or where they are headed. I started by marking the pattern of the dress onto the fabric and sewing the dress. Then I mapped out where each of the diamonds would go so that they would be a fluid pattern. After making the dress, I repeated the process of trying on the dress and doing alterations until the fit was perfect. My mom helped me with fine-tuning the measurements and the placement of the darts. Once the dress was finished, I began placing the diamonds onto the dress. I cut the duct tape to fit each diamond in order to make each one have a unique pattern. Then I cut over 200 strands of glitter duct tape. The longer strands were braided and then used to outline the diamonds and as the straps. The braids were hand-sewn and measured so that they would go seamlessly from the front to the back of the dress. The rest of the strands were used as the fringe on the bottom of the dress. The strands were hot-glued to the bottom of the dress in a pattern that mimics the New York City skyline. Once the dress was finished, I made feathers out of tape and wire and hot-glued them to what was a gift bag in order to make the purse. I then cut out small posterboard diamonds and covered them in tape and placed them along the bottom of the dress and on the bag as a finishing detail. I wanted to make the dress look elegant and glamorous. I'm so proud of how the dress turned out. In some moments, I did not know how I was going to achieve the final product, and it was an amazing experience seeing this idea come to life.
16 Rolls
50 Hours
I was inspired by the an evil sorceress type of style. Think Maleficent, witches, etc. I also loved the v-neck ending in spikes sketch I drew, so I brought those into the design. I was also inspired by two dresses I tried on last year's prom.
5 Rolls
11 Hours
When I was in the eighth grade, I was looking at prom dresses and I saw this pretty floor length red dress and I never stopped thinking about it ever since.
8 Rolls
36 Hours
The main inspiration behind my outfit is the people in my life or more specifically the women in my life. My mother, Grandmother, Stepmother, teachers, etc. have all shown to me my whole life to pursue things whenever they seem tough and have the courage & confidence to pursue those things whether it's a career or anything else. Without them I likely wouldn't have entered or even thought of entering this contest in the first place. They've given me the confidence to pursue the things I want and they continue to do so. I hope to do the same for my younger sister and inspire any younger girl seeing this dress that they can follow through. Each panel shows how a younger girl can pursue and achieve what they want if they put their minds to it. I hope this dress is as meaningful to others as it is to me and I hope it inspires those like my younger sister to pursue their dreams.
10 Rolls
72 Hours
Sometimes I wish I could be a kid again. Even though I’m about to go to college, I still revert to doing childlike things, such as eating a sentimental food or cuddling with my dad or mom. Starting this project I was unsure if my ideas had any correlation with each other. I realize now that all my inspiration came from important parts of my childhood. I was heavily inspired by animated shows I used to (and still) watch and obsess over as a kid. For example, I decided on the color of the dress and placement of one of the circles because of a cartoon, called Steven Universe. The character Rose wears a white flowy dress with a pink gem on her stomach. However, I do want to emphasize that the two designs are incredibly different and unique in their own ways. Another show I was inspired by was Miraculous. I picked an umbrella accessory because, in the first season, it symbolizes a new beginning for the main characters. My last inspiration came from the activity of blowing bubbles. When I was younger, I would constantly blow bubbles because of how beautiful I thought they were. To this day, I still do it when I reminisce on the past. Utilizing cellophane I cut circles and hung them with string to create the idea of floating bubbles. My dress is a tribute to my younger self as I leave her behind. But it is also a statement that although I’m getting older, I will still hold onto pieces of my childhood that made me the person I am today.
42 Rolls
103 Hours
The base layer of a timeless black suit came from James Bond as I love older spy movies, I have also included his omega watch. My love of travel is another major component because I strive to turn world traveling into my lifelong career. Finally my inclusion of FFA, it has taught me many things, but most importantly my love for nature and the potential payoff to hard work.
8 Rolls
20 Hours
I wanted to make a suit that captured all of my childhood dreams. I wanted to be a Firefighter, Racecar Driver, and inventor all at once when I grew up. I decided that I would live out those dreams again through my artwork. I also used a steampunk theme to incorporate all of the elements of the design
32 Rolls
150 Hours
My duct tape suit was inspired by the strength, discipline, and leadership of ancient Rome. I incorporated Roman symbols such as the laurel wreath and SPQR to represent honor, achievement, and civic pride while combining them with a modern suit design
11 Rolls
53 Hours
I knew Duck Tape, as a medium, would not stretch or drape like typical fabric. So, I decided to embrace the tape and lean in to the more structured look. I was inspired by the 1950's and 60's "Retro-future" aesthetic and early 2000's low-poly videogames. This style challenged me to design around my body and embrace my scoliosis.
13 Rolls
52 Hours
The song "Kawa no nagare no youni" by Hibari Misora inspired me to make this river dress. The message of the song is that life moves on, and with my graduation being this year, I resonated with the song. The winding rivers across the dress are the different experiences I've gained in high school, and how it will keep pushing me to the future. I added flower accessories inspired by actual flowers that grow in and by the river.
27 Rolls
42 Hours
Starting this project, I had no idea on what I wanted the design to look like. I thought of a few other things such as a ring leader, circus tent, or something for my culture but after visiting my grandma’s house I immediately knew what I wanted to do, I wanted to make my suit based off of a cake. My grandma has always been my number one supporter when it comes to baking and so to honor her I loved the idea of making my suit out of duct tape. The overall design is based on a vanilla cake with white frosting layers with pink frosting on top that is then topped with sprinkles and chocolate drizzle. I’ve never made this kind of cake before but it has been one of my dream cakes.
18 Rolls
40 Hours
The inspiration for my dress was combining tradition with change, specifically in the landscape of mental health. While tradition and history are beautiful and romanticized, we have to acknowledge that, in terms of mental health and self-love, change and growth were and are necessary. The dress is a modern twist on a traditional Polish folk costume from the Łowicz region, reflecting how tradition and progress can come together to create something even more beautiful. A quote that I had in mind is “Grow What You Go Through,” embodied in the motif of florals, specifically in the skirt and shawl. The skirt is composed of petals that give it a blooming effect— just like a big flower. The shawl is based on the traditional collared white blouse that goes underneath the bodice. It is layered with flowers, creating a personal garden that hugs me tightly, a reminder to nurture and be proud of accomplishments and overcoming of battles, both big and small. A big part of this dress-making process was growth. Venturing into 3D art and using materials such as duck tape and foam were both new to me. I had certain struggles and had to experiment a lot to achieve the desired effect I had in mind. Persevering through these struggles, while staying true to the original vision and costume, made this dress possible, allowing it to finally bloom. I first wore the traditional Łowicz costume when I was 12 years old. Wearing my own version of this costume 6 years later is a tribute to my childhood and the journey to be who I am today. Persevering through the challenges and obstacles placed before me has shaped me to be the person I am today. Each flower represents the growth of something new and special, a garden I am proud of. The shawl can be easily untied and given to someone else whenever they need a reminder that their own garden, even if it doesn’t feel like it, is in full bloom too.
18 Rolls
42 Hours
I spent a lot of time looking at many different silouettes and I came up with a sketch of a look I have always admired.
39 Rolls
100 Hours
My inspiration was dresses from the 19th century, 1840-50's ball gowns specifically. one of my hobbies is making historical dresses and i thought it would be interesting to try and recreate the different elements of these different extant garments out of tape suck as the lace and ruffles that adorn dresses like these. I achieved the lace of the dress through using a hole puncher and duck tape pasted back to back. the dress is made in layers and each part i made sepretly and then put together in the end.
16 Rolls
235 Hours
During the inspiration for my design, I had the idea to go with a bird. A very majestic bird, so often seen in the unique birds of paradise. I wanted to capture part of that beauty as soon as the idea appeared and I ran with it. I crafted design after design on paper, wanting to keep the avian theme but also add a royal starry aesthetic with it. In my younger years, I always looked at prom as a royal ballroom seen in a period piece movie. I wanted to emphasize that status with the royal blue colors and subtle starry avian features. From the tailcoat representing those long tail feathers, the cape was that of resting wings. I wanted those Avian features to show going as far as to make gloves akin to talons. This was certainly a fun project to take part of, and I'm happy I managed it. Though, I'd admit I found myself often struggling, taking long all nighters wondering if I should continue. I found myself wondering if it was even worth it at times, but besides finding joy in my art, in bringing projects to life, the chance of what could happen if I didn't give up kept me going. I had one chance I told myself, and I wasn't going to waste that. Looking back there's things I would've done differently to make this easier knowing what I know now, however I'm happy with the outcome. I'm truly happy I was able to participate and I'm even happier I finished just in time to do so.
6 Rolls
25 Hours
I wanted to base my dress of the ocean. Anything to do with water is very important to me, and the ocean reminds me of my home state of New Hampsire. I love ocean animals and wanted to incorporate some special ones on my dress.