Madonna's penchant for reinvention has long been a hallmark of her career, a quality that celebrated hairstylist Garren found himself instrumental in shaping throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Garren, who has collaborated with the pop icon for over two decades, recently shared insights into the creation of some of her most iconic hairstyles.
"I just love making characters out of characters," Garren told Page Six Style. "She loves transforming herself."
Their professional relationship began on the set of an Italian Vogue shoot, quickly developing into a close working partnership. Garren described their connection as "like lock and key," noting that his feedback often extended beyond hair to encompass her overall look.
"I think that’s what she liked about working with me, because she always said, ‘Garren, what is wrong with the way everything looks?'" he recalled, recounting an instance at the Venice Film Festival where he was asked to help refine her image, even accompanying her to a store in Toronto.
Garren often drew inspiration from Old Hollywood, collecting books that he would bring to shoots to conceptualize looks. He highlighted three specific hairstyles from Madonna's past and explained how they could be achieved with modern products.
Marilyn Monroe-Inspired Look
For Madonna's 1995 Vanity Fair cover, which featured her in Harry Winston jewelry, Garren aimed for a blond look inspired by Marilyn Monroe. "Her hair was bleached out to this pale yellow, but it didn’t have that platinum shine to it," he said. To recreate this today, he would use R+Co Bleu's Blonded Brightening Shampoo and a corresponding hair mask to achieve a more luminous finish.
MTV VMAs '95 Glamour
Garren recalled Madonna's iconic 1995 MTV Video Music Awards appearance, where her hair was styled into an updo reminiscent of Catherine Deneuve. "I had a fall from the late ’80s that I just pulled out of my closet," he explained. "I have a stash of hair that I keep, and I have a whole area that’s Madonna hair." He noted that Madonna's polished look made Courtney Love uncomfortable at the time. To achieve a similar style today, Garren would use R+Co Bleu's "Blowing in the Wind" Volumizing Dry Shampoo, praising its "memory" when brushed out.
"Erotica" Video and "Sex" Book Sleek Chignon
For Madonna's 1992 "Sex" book and "Erotica" music video, Garren created a slicked-back chignon. "We just had so much fun for four weeks," he said of the experience. "When you look at the ‘Sex’ book, you think, ‘Oh my God, how did that happen?’ But we were laughing through the whole process because every situation was set up." To achieve the "glassy" effect of this hairstyle, he recommends R+Co Bleu's Optical Illusion Smoothing Oil, which he noted coats the hair without removing its natural texture.