Teen Crochets Her Own Zendaya-Inspired Prom Dress for $60 — and in Just Three Days (Exclusive)

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

Sarah Akinbuwa tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that she was invited to someone else's prom as a date, but they told her she would have just four days to prepare. An avid crocheter, Akinbuwa was determined to make her own dress.

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

So, she did. And her pink, strapless floor-length gown — complete with crocheted roses on the lower half, a matching crocheted floor-length shrug and a crocheted handbag— took her just three days to complete.

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The inspiration behind the look was a pink strapless gown (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 more than 26 million views,

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

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

"Thank you, I made it," Akinbuwa responds, adding, "It took me three days."

Speaking to PEOPLE, Akinbuwa says, "My friends loved the dress and I got tons of compliments."

Still, crocheting a floor-length gown in just three days is not for the faint of heart. And despite her young age, Akinbuwa is no novice at her craft.

"I have been crocheting since I was 12," she says.

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

As for life after high school? Perhaps unsurprisingly, Akinbuwa says, "I have to be a fashion designer."