Skip to main content
Thunderstorms icon
64º

California student wins $10K scholarship with stunning duct tape prom dress

A California high school student won the $10,000 Stuck at Prom Scholarship by creating a stunning dress made out of Duct Tape in July. (Duck Duct Tape)

LOS ANGELES – A California high school student won the $10,000 Stuck at Prom Scholarship by creating a stunning dress made out of duct tape in July.

This was the 23rd year of the contest and 200 students from the U.S. and Canada applied, according to a news release from the Duck Duct Tape brand. Karla Torres Tejeda from Los Angeles, California won the prize for Best Dress after designing her piece based off 18th century art.

Recommended Videos



“From going viral on social media to fielding interviews with the media, the top 10 finalists gave it their all,” said Ashley Luke, the senior product manager at Shurtape Technologies. “With so many talented teens entering this year’s contest, the competition was high, but Karla and Ian really exemplified how an ordinary material, like Duck Tape, can be transformed into artful attire.”

A California high school student won the $10,000 Stuck at Prom Scholarship by creating a stunning dress made out of Duct Tape in July. (Duck Duct Tape)

It took a lot of sweat, determination, and about 120 hours to make the dress. Tejeda used 14 rolls of pink, white and gold Duck Tape and designed a fan and clutch.

The gown has ruffle sleeves, small flowers, and includes a white necklace.

“This dress is inspired by 18th century French art that I saw at the Getty Museum,” Tejeda said. “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.”

A California high school student won the $10,000 Stuck at Prom Scholarship by creating a stunning dress made out of Duct Tape in July. (Duck Duct Tape)

About the Author

Cynthia Miranda graduated from UT Austin and is a proud Houstonian. She is passionate about covering breaking news and community stories. Cynthia previously covered elections, the historic 2021 Texas winter storm, and other news in East Texas. In addition to writing, she also loves going to concerts, watching movies, and cooking with her family.

Loading...