Amanda Solis & UT Austin Designer Recreate Selena’s Iconic Stage Looks for Master’s Thesis Project

AUSTIN, Texas — Tejano and Latin pop singer Amanda Solis is stepping into the timeless style of late music icon Selena Quintanilla-Perez in a deeply meaningful collaboration with University of Texas at Austin graduate designer Matthew Smith, who is recreating three of the late icon’s most legendary stage outfits as part of his master’s thesis.

What began as a social media message in 2022 has blossomed into an ambitious project that blends fashion design, music history, and cultural preservation. Smith, a lifelong Selena fan pursuing his graduate degree at UT Austin, invited Solis—widely known for her heartfelt Selena tribute performances—to be the living canvas for his couture recreations. The project is being developed with guidance from Martín Gómez, the original designer behind many of Selena’s unforgettable looks.

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“These are not Halloween costumes—this is couture,” Solis shared with fans in an emotional video update. “He is custom making everything from scratch, even dyeing the fabric himself to get as close as possible to Selena’s original colors and textures. This is his master’s degree, the beginning of the rest of his life, and I feel so honored to be part of it.”

The three ensembles chosen for the thesis are among Selena’s most celebrated: the purple jumpsuit, the ruffled stage outfit, and the iconic green “penguin tail” design. According to Solis, every element is being meticulously engineered in UT’s design labs—from hand-dyed textiles to custom undergarments built to fit her measurements, mirroring Selena’s approach to stagewear.

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“Even the fibers of the green outfit are being extracted to recreate that exact pattern Selena wore,” Solis explained. “The level of detail is unbelievable. When I saw he had chosen the green outfit, one of my personal favorites, I got chills.”

The collaboration will culminate in a public thesis presentation at the University of Texas, where Solis will perform three Selena songs while wearing each recreated piece. The live element was Solis’ idea, turning an academic defense into a celebration of music and heritage.

“I told him, these outfits need to be seen on stage,” she said. “So I’ll be performing in front of his professors while he’s being tested for his master’s degree. How incredible is that?”

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Solis, a Houston-based artist, continues to build her own artistic identity beyond tributes. In 2024, she released her debut album Space Vaquera, marking a bold step in her Tejano and Latin pop journey. She also recently appeared in the holiday short film Chasing Christmas and has developed an impressive acting résumé, including portraying Selena in a 2017 episode of the REELZ series Murder Made Me Famous. Gamers may also recognize her voice from Life Is Strange: True Colors, where she appeared as a Selena fan in a beloved Easter-egg cameo.

Still, Solis approaches the Selena legacy with humility.

“Of course there’s only one Selena—nobody could fill her shoes,” she said. “I don’t boast in this. I’m just grateful to help honor her in such a unique way.”

One final fitting remains before the official UT debut date is announced. Fans are encouraged to follow Solis’ social media channels for behind-the-scenes updates on a project that celebrates not only Selena’s enduring influence, but the next generation of artists inspired by her light.

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