Some of Quintanilla s most iconic looks have also been rediscovered through Netflix s
Selena: The Series, which honors the life of the late singer, played by Christian Serratos. In one scene, we see Quintanilla s iconic white rhinestone bustier. In other, her all-black ensemble takes center stage at the 1986 Tejano Music Awards
. Below, the show s costume designer Adela Cortázar discusses recreating her favorite looks for the show.
Belle of the Disco Ball NETFLIX / Victor Ceballos Olea
Cortázar s design inspiration came from studying Selena s evolving style throughout her career. This outfit is based on an early gig with her band, the Dinos. A fashion icon of her time, she was immortalized for her sexy bras, stones, glitters, big hoop earrings, and red lips, Cortázar says.
“Selena: The Series” turns the focus to the men behind her creating a self-serving, controlled narrative that fails to illuminate the late singer herself.
Reyes-Velarde: My mom, who immigrated from Mexico in 1995, recalls Selena as very much an American artist who learned Spanish to capture a lucrative audience. So for a long time, I believed she was an English-to-Spanish crossover artist not the other way around!
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Hernandez: There is nothing more “American” than R&B and rock ‘n’ roll! So it made perfect sense for Selena to segue into pop and R&B. It’s all we were listening to back then: SWV, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson.