Teens wow with scholarship-winning duct tape prom outfits
Two teenagers are taking their creativity to the next level with impressive prom dress and prom tux creations, both made out of duct tape.
Sophie Chai of Union City, California, and Jeremiah Constantine of Westland, Michigan, were this year's winners of the 2026 Duck Brand Stuck at Prom scholarship contest and opened up to ABC News' Danny New about what it took to bring their ideas to life.
Chai said she studied past winners' outfits before she set to work on her sweet strawberry cake-themed creation, complete with an oversized fork accessory made out of duct tape.
"The previous winners, they all had really eye-catching dresses. Like you look at it, and you're like, 'wow,'" Chai said.
Chai said her pink-and-white dress required 35 rolls of duct tape to create.
"I had to make a metal wire petticoat under it and it would collapse," she said, adding that the full dress was "really heavy."
"It leaves bruises on my shoulders after I wear it," she added.
Constantine said he used 41 rolls of duct tape for his "dramatic" red-and-black cape and tux look, which he paired with duct-tape jewelry.
"It's inspired by the Met Gala and couture fashion," he said, adding, "The bracelets are the empty duct tape rolls with duct tape wrapped around it."
Constantine, who said he plans on studying fashion design in college, said he wasn't sure how his vision would turn out but in the end, but said he was pretty impressed" with the final version.
Although Chai and Constantine didn't wear their creations to their real-life proms, they modeled them in photos they submitted for the scholarship contest.
Both teens each won $10,000 college scholarships.
According to Duck Brand, which runs the scholarship contest, eight runners-up were also awarded $1,000 cash prizes, "as well as Duck Brand prize packs worth $100 for their hard work and creativity."
"Additionally, three of the runners-up have been honored with a Judge's Choice Award worth $1,000," the company said.
