Teenager Crochets Her Own Prom Dress for $60 – and in Just Three Days (Exclusive)

A Boston teen is going viral after crocheting her own Zendaya-inspired floor-length prom dress for just $60.

Sarah Akinbuwa told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that she was invited to someone else's prom, but they told her she would only have four days to prepare. Passionate about crochet, Akinbuwa was determined to make her own dress.

“I had to make a dress by hand,” Akinbuwa, 18, tells PEOPLE.

So she did it. And her floor-length strapless pink dress — with crochet roses on the bottom half, a matching crochet bolero and a crochet handbag — only took her three days to complete.

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The inspiration behind this look was a pink strapless dress (designed by Valentino Haute Couture and adorned with 190 roses on the skirt) worn by Zendaya at the 2023 SAG Awards.

Akinbuwa's video showing the behind-the-scenes process of creating her prom look has garnered over 26 million views,

Another video posted to TikTok shows her wearing the dress in a public restroom, while an onlooker admires her work.

“I love your dress,” the person can be heard saying in the background.

“Thank you, I did it,” Akinbuwa replies, adding: “It took me three days.”

Speaking to PEOPLE, Akinbuwa said: “My friends loved the dress and I received tons of compliments.”

Still, crocheting a floor-length dress in just three days isn't for the faint of heart. And despite his young age, Akinbuwa is not new to his profession.

“I’ve been crocheting since I was 12,” she says.

In addition to designing and crocheting her own prom dress, Akinbuwa says she also “does custom orders” for friends, family members and social media followers.

As for life after high school? Not surprisingly, Akinbuwa says, “I have to be a fashion designer.”