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The next biggest designer may be a Latina from Los Angeles. Karla Torres is in the top 10 for the annual Duck Brand Stuck at Prom competition, which offers the winner a $10,000 Scholarship prize.
The Mexican-American’s elegant dress took 14 rolls of duck tape and 120 hours to make. It was inspired by 18th-century French art that she saw at the Getty Museum, per her profile on the Duck Brand competition website.
“I was captivated by the amount of gold and extravagant paintings they had on display. 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,” she said.
Using pastel pink, white, and gold duct tape for the design of the dress, she explained she “decided to take inspiration from the Rococo era through my own personal interest in fashion.” “I am fascinated by clothes and how it has evolved through the course of history,” Torres said.
The recent high school graduate told HOLA! USA that she will be attending college in the fall. “I hope to work in the fashion industry, more toward the business aspect of it!!” she replied on TikTok.
In regards to working with tape, in an interview with USA Today, Torres explained, “It was really challenging to work with tape because it’s not like the fabric, it doesn’t bend as easily.”
After trial and error on how to keep the tape smooth, she realized wax paper would be her saving grace. “At the end we used wax paper, because if you put the duct tape on and if there are air bubbles or if it’s not smooth then you can like to take it off and then reapply it to make it smooth,” she said.
She made the creative decision to add accessories, including a clutch, a fan, a necklace, and a hairpiece which made her stand apart. “I just wanted to add those types of things. I thought it was really elegant and it was going to elevate the look,” she said.
With the support of family and friends, the young woman also turned to social media, sharing videos on TikTok, and encouraging the globe to vote for her. The winner of the competition will be announced July 19.