Hairstylist Cesar Ramirez on Executing "New Age Vamp Beauty" for Jenna Ortega

On the Wednesday press tour, Jenna Ortega's beauty looks are on par with her gothic-inspired wardrobe. Specifically in the case of hair, Cesar Ramirez says his approach is to complement her ensembles while still holding true to Jenna's signature aesthetic which he calls "new age vamp beauty."

When it comes to conceptualizing hairstyles like Ortega's viral braided ponytail, Ramirez says he's attempting to subtly pay homage to her on-screen character without sacrificing a sense of authenticity. With method dressing rife on red carpets, Ramirez has no interest in catering to short-lived trends. Instead, the hairstylist says he's more concerned with creating something that feels brand new.

 

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Naturally, the process of dreaming up cohesive looks includes collaboration from Ortega's team of makeup artists and wardrobe stylists. Ramirez says that in addition to getting input from the team at large, he finds that the actor is extremely hands-on and never hesitates to give her input. Beyond that, he acknowledges that the creative process is heavily reliant on each individual part of Ortega's look — as they all play an essential role in shaping their collective vision.

Ahead, we speak to Cesar Ramirez about executing hair looks for Jenna Ortega and how he uses hair as a vehicle for storytelling.

On His References

I'm constantly looking and observing my environment and how people move — moment and body language really inspires me. I also keep an eye on fashion trends and what's popular on social media, then I either go against the grain or tweak those trends to create something uniquely my own.

On Executing On-Theme Hair Looks

I don't view my approach to styling as a trend — it's simply how I've always worked. For me, hair is an essential part of storytelling that complements a look rather than overshadows it. My goal is always to express my client's identity and what they want to convey, my job is to help them feel authentic and confident in their own skin.

On Taking Inspiration From Tim Burton

I have been a huge huge fan of Tim Burton and his work my whole life. So I immediately got it. It's story telling that allows creativity to stir the narrative.

On the Famous Braided Ponytail

A few factors went into this concept. The dress gave me this idea to create a nymph/fairy-like [look] hence the long hair and the exposed ears peeking through the strands. The braided element came from the idea of Wednesday and how Wednesday would have a noose hidden in her arsenal. I wanted to keep a tie to the Wednesday character by using a braided element without it being so obvious and on the nose.

On Working With Jenna Ortega

Jenna is highly involved, she gives me the freedom to design and present her with look ideas, then she adds her input to help me conceptualize the look to fit her vision. It's very collaborative between the whole hair, makeup and styling team. It's as if we are collaborating on a sculpture together and we each add our inspiration and marry it all together. We have a great team that I'm extremely inspired by and Jenna has a lot of input which is very helpful.

While you're here, read about makeup artist Dick Page's New York Fashion Week rituals.

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