Actress Julia Garner made a surprise —but maybe not too much of a surprise given that she was slated to play the icon in a biopic and was in the music video for “Confessions II”— appearance in Madonna’s performance at last night’s VMAs and it was everything. Her short, platinum blonde curls were styled to perfection by frequent collaborator, the celebrity hairstylist, Bobby Eliot, giving us 90s Madonna but something that was simultaneously very modern.
To understand how Eliot accomplished this feat, we connected with him directly to chat through the inspiration for Garner’s VMAs look and how it all came together with the exact K18 products and Bio Ionic tools he used. Keep reading for our conversation.
The Tease: Did any era of Madonna’s iconic beauty evolution influence the direction you took with this VMA look?
Bobby Eliot: Absolutely. Madonna’s ‘Truth or Dare’ era was a major reference. There was such a confidence, freedom and fearlessness to her beauty during that period. Everything was glamorous and considered, but there was also an attitude and effortlessness to it that still feels incredibly modern. Those images have become part of the visual language of pop culture, so the challenge was identifying what made the hair so instantly recognizable — the shape, texture, movement and attitude — and then reinterpreting those elements through Julia rather than simply copying them.
Noting that you’re a long-time collaborator, what were the conversations like as you approached this red carpet appearance?
Eliot: I’ve been working with Julia for over 10 years now, since around the beginning of ‘Ozark,’ so there’s a real trust between us creatively. We’ve created so many different looks together over the years, and she’s always incredibly open to transformation. For the VMAs, we knew we were referencing such an iconic moment, but we never wanted it to feel like a replica. Once I saw the fashion, it really helped bring that direction into focus. The look itself carried such a strong reference, so the hair needed to honor that while still having softness, movement and a little imperfection.
Julia is known for taking risks with her beauty looks. How did you balance her signature edge with the energy and spectacle of the VMAs when designing her hair?
Eliot: Julia is fearless when it comes to beauty, which gives us so much freedom creatively. The VMAs are also the perfect place to push things a little further, so we wanted the hair to have impact without becoming overly styled or costume-like. For me, that balance came through in the texture. The shape and volume gave it that drama and presence, but shaking out the curls and allowing them to move kept everything feeling effortless. Those slightly undone elements gave the look an edge and made it feel like Julia rather than a perfect recreation of something from the past.
Get the Look:
- Started on freshly washed, damp hair. Applied K18 AirWash™ dry shampoo and AstroLift™ reparative volume spray generously from roots to ends to build weightless body and lift.
- Layered in the K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask followed by a few drops of the K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil to restore strength, lock in moisture, and provide heat protection. Gently gently worked the products through from root to tip using a wide-tooth comb for even distribution.
- Using a fine-tooth comb and tail comb, hand-sculpted and defined Julia’s natural curl pattern to create a precise, structured foundation.
- Fitted the Bio Ionic AeroGravity Featherlight Dryer with the diffuser attachment and dried the hair completely, preserving the natural bounce and shape without creating frizz.
- Once completely dry, tousled and shook out the curls with fingers to break up the shape and achieve a soft, undone, live-in finish.
- Using the Bio Ionic Twist Interchangeable Iron (with the 1” tapered barrel), targeted select sections around the face and crown to refine, accentuate, and shape key curls.
- Finished the look with a final touch of K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil l smoothed over the ends for glass-like shine, frizz control, and long-lasting radiance on the carpet.
If you recreate Julia Garner’s ’26 VMAs look with these steps from Bobby Eliot, we need to know about it. You better tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok.
