A model walking in New York Fashion Week’s most “provocative show” suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction – with many praising her impressive reaction.
Leah Postol was wearing a seriously skimpy “duct tape bikini” as part of the sold-out Black Tape Project event.
But while you’d be forgiven for thinking the controversial adhesive tape had failed as she strutted her stuff on the catwalk – it was actually her high heels.
A video shared by the Black Tape Project on social media shows Leah confidently walking down the runway wearing a few pieces of tape across her bust, arms, thighs and nether regions.
Suddenly, the ankle strap on her right shoe busts open, but Leah doesn’t miss a beat and continues to walk, even managing to confidently strike a pose.
“Probably our most provocative show ever. This show was an act of rebellion during NYFW,” the brand’s owner and self-proclaimed body tape “pioneer” Joel Alvarez wrote on Instagram.
“I’m no designer. I’m an artist. I’m here to make you feel some type of way.
“Any of you who feel the need to state the obvious about her shoe strap, just notice she doesn’t miss a step. True dragon.”
Fans of the sexy sticky tape brand were quick to praise Leah, flooding the comments section of the clip with adoring remarks.
“When your strap on your ankle has other plans. ABSOLUTELY killed it, not a single misstep,” one said.
“Such a talent,” another agreed.
Joel, the so-called “King of Tape”, had pushed the risqué fashion label to even skimpier heights than usual during the show, displaying models with spartan black-and-white swimsuits that barely concealed their genital areas.
One of the models’ bodies was crisscrossed with spike-studded black tape – a salacious take on the dog collar design – with black Xs acting as pasties.
Others had their privates obscured by nothing but a skimpy tape “flower” that was unattached to the rest of the get-up.
In order to prevent discomfort – and perhaps an inadvertent bikini wax upon removal – Joel claims he uses “only skin-safe artistic body tape”.
The unconventional patterns were inspired by an encounter the designer had while working as a rookie fashion photographer in 2008, according to the Black Tape Project’s website.
The budding designer was reportedly working with a model who “suggested I use electrical tape on her for the last look,” he said.
While Joel initially had no idea why she would want to do this, he decided to oblige by wrapping her in black electrical tape.
“Mind you, she looked like two Christmas hams wrapped in rubber bands when I was done,” he said.
Fast forward a few years and it seems Black Tape – which retails from $9.99 for the standard body tape to $29.99 for other colors – is sticking around, regularly appearing at prestigious fashion events.
Despite the popularity, many are not convinced the risqué design is actually needed, claiming it’s “impractical” and would surely be “painful” to remove.
A model who recently wore a “duct tape bikini” at Miami Swim Week 2022 revealed the skimpy cossies also take a very long time to get into.
“Second time walking for @blacktapeproject. Thank you Joel, and to the outstanding team behind all of this hard work. Twelve hours taping and just 30 seconds walking. It is an honour to be wearing your art,” Chanel Rivera wrote.
The bold fashion choice has become more mainstream in recent years, being worn at festivals around the globe, most recently Burning Man.