Los Angeles Teen Wins National Scholarship Contest With Duct Tape Dress

Runners-up each won a $500 scholarship, according to KABC.

Torres’ garment was constructed with 14 rolls of pink, white, and gold Duck Tape, according to the firm. She spent over 120 hours creating the prom gown, which was completed with accessories such as a clutch purse and fan.

“This dress is inspired by 18th-century French art that I saw at the Getty Museum,” Torres said in the news release. “I was captivated by the amount of gold and extravagant paintings they had on display. I am fascinated by clothes and how they have evolved through the course of history. Although we are in the 21st century, it doesn’t stop us from dressing up from any time period.”

Torres graduated last month from Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights, California, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“My dress is going to be all the way across the country,” Torres said, according to the Times. “It’s a national contest. … Being selected as the only Californian, and more specifically even [from] Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, it’s really cool.”

According to the publication, Torres is the first in her family to attend college. She stated that the scholarship, combined with financial aid, will be extremely beneficial to her schooling. According to KABC, she will be attending California State University Fullerton in the fall.

According to the Los Angeles Times, she intends to study business marketing with a concentration on the fashion industry.

“After this competition, I hope to be interning in a fashion company in the future,” Torres said, according to the newspaper. “That’s something I am interested in and always will be interested.”