Fashion

Fans Petition Mattel For An Official Selena Barbie

by Alysse Dalessandro

Mattel has been making Barbies since 1959, and while the company has released its share of celebrity inspired Barbies, it seems only recently that Barbie has been making news for its inclusivity. In the wake of Barbie's more diverse line-up, Selena Quintanilla Perez fans are petitioning online, wondering why this iconic celebrity has never been honored with a Barbie of her own.

Back in September, the Zendaya Barbie honored the young star's role model status. Just last week, Mattel announced the Abby Wambach Barbie. And it's only been mere weeks since the company made one of its biggest moves to date by releasing three new Barbie body types. Despite what seems like a push for a inclusive representation of the many ways there are to be a woman, there has still never been an official Barbie honoring Selena. Of course, we've been graced with Shakira and J. Lo-inspired Barbies, and some dolls modeled after Latin archetypes. Yet since her passing in 1995, Selena has remained one of the most beloved Latin celebrities of all time. She was a singer, a designer, an entrepreneur, and so much more.

A number of celebrities — including Beyoncé, Katy Perry, and Selena Gomez — have listed Selena as one of their inspirations. And they aren't the only ones who feel that way. MAC Cosmetics is releasing a makeup line inspired by Selena in 2016, which sprung from a Change.org petition with more than 37,000 signatures. It's clear that Selena has remained a tenant of American pop culture in both the realms of music and fashion. So where is the Selena Barbie?

That question is the same one posed by the creator of the #SelenaQuintanillaBarbie petition, started a week ago and already in possession of 6,000 signatures out of its desired 7,500. In the body of the Change.org petition, Remy Ocampo, who is spearheading it, writes, "There has yet to be any curvy Hispanic barbie dolls in any Barbie line and we think Selena is a perfect candidate for that kind of representation. Selena was truly a person to be admired and I think young girls and boys would appreciate having a Selena doll in their collection."

Outlets such as E! News and Teen Vogue have written about the campaign and Latina Magazine tweeted, "How is there not a #Selena barbie?" While ARM Enterprise did create a limited edition Selena doll in 1996 complete with three different concert outfits, Mattel has never released one in her likeness. The ARM Selena doll from 1996 can currently be found on Amazon for $149.99.

Considering that Selena has inspired a number of tribute fashions from brands like Bella Dona and Apple Sauced, I can't help but wonder how Selena herself would be dressing today. And if a Selena Barbie does happen, what outfit would she be wearing? From high-waisted pants and gemstone-encrusted bustiers to her famous sparkly jumpsuits, the options could truly be endless.

Image: Change.org/Remy Ocampo (1)