In 1994, Selena Quintanilla-Perez held a fashion show and concert at Hemisfair Arena as part of the launch of her new clothing line.
At the start of the event, the Queen of Tejano would be introduced by then Univision 41 reporter Sarah Lucero.
But it was the moments leading up to the launch, that Lucero remembers the most.
“At the time of her clothing launch I worked for Univision channel 41 here in San Antonio. The TV station managers are the ones who asked me if I would introduce her at the fashion show and concert to launch her new line of clothing,” Lucero tells MySA. “I was so excited to be part of this new chapter in her career, which had really started to take off and was starting to move into mainstream media and the English music market.”
In accordance with the event, Lucero would be wearing one of Selena’s creations.
“She wanted me to wear this gold jacket with embroidered flowers and a black velvet skirt. It was very pretty. I remember when I put it on she came into the store, Selena’s Boutique on Broadway, and made sure I was comfortable with how it fit,” she said. “I thought that was so sweet and down to earth of her because I knew she was a huge star and I was a little starstruck.”
According to Marlo Hernandez-Lopez, who worked in Selena’s boutique as a nail tech and also happens to be Lucero’s grade-school friend, says the singer was just as ‘starstruck.’
“Selena spent all morning worried about this Sarah reporter and how nervous she was to meet her,” Hernandez-Lopez wrote in a post Lucero shared.
She said Selena was hoping Lucero would like the gold jacket she had her designer make for her.
Hernandez-Lopez says Selena even asked ladies at the at the boutique if they knew how Lucero was in person. Hernandez-Lopez didn’t reveal that she and Lucero were friends until the former TV anchor arrived at the store.
“We hugged and I introduced you as my friend…. Selena was stunned and said, “What?! You know her and you said nothing to me!” Hernandez-Lopez wrote in the post to Lucero. “I wish I had a picture for the face she gave me at that moment. We all laughed so hard that day, but I truly didn’t know you were ‘the reporter.’ She gave me the hardest time about that, but it worked out very well because her nervousness was gone and she liked you very much.”
Lucero recalls that the fashion show and concert at the Hemisfair Arena was spectacular.
“I remember it was very chaotic that night, Selena was backstage running all over the place. I don’t remember really seing her much. I just remember going backstage with my co-host and getting ready to come out on stage to introduce her,” Lucero said. “As the show started, I remember going out onto the stage and introducing her and my duty was done.”
Lucero goes on to say, “getting to meet Selena and being part of such a special project in her life was definitely one of the highlights of my career as a newscaster.”
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