How Glen Oropeza Created Georgina Rodríguez’s Angelic Met Gala Hair
Celebrity hairstylist Glen Oropeza takes us behind the scenes of Rodríguez’s soft, romantic braid, plus the exact hacks to recreate the Met Gala look at home.
The 2026 Met Gala gave us sculptural gowns, anatomical references, couture-level drama, and enough “Fashion Is Art” discourse to keep the group chats alive for weeks.
But one of the night’s most quietly striking moments of beauty did not scream for attention. It elegantly braided itself into the conversation.
Argentinian-Spanish model, entrepreneur, influencer, and social media personality Georgina Rodríguez arrived on the red carpet, bringing Old World glamour we loved. It gave angelic energy with enough undone texture to keep it from feeling precious.
And according to celebrity hairstylist Glen Oropeza, that was exactly the point.
Oropeza, who created Rodríguez’s Met Gala hair, spoke with FIERCE about the references, last-minute creative pivots, and exact products behind the style. The final result looked effortless, but the process involved secrecy, trust, Monica Bellucci references, and the secret touch: Latino taste.
Georgina Rodríguez’s Met Gala hair started with secrecy and a romantic pivot.
For Oropeza, a night like the Met Gala carries unique pressure because the image travels instantly and lasts forever.
Working with Rodríguez and designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin made the process even more layered.
“Working with a new client and designer always makes the Met feel different,” Oropeza told us. “With Georgina and Ludovic, everything was secretive — I didn’t see the dress until a couple of days before.”
That secrecy shaped the creative process from the start. The hair could not overpower the look, but it also could not fade into the background. It had to speak the same language as the styling without competing for attention.
“We tried a few directions but ultimately landed on something more romantic,” Oropeza said. “We channeled angelic energy, inspired by references like the Virgin of Fátima, and I wanted the look to feel soft, feminine, and elevated the moment she stepped out.”
The Met Gala look honored Georgina Rodríguez’s confidence.
Many celebrity beauty moments aim to create a persona through hair and makeup.
Oropeza saw the opposite with Rodríguez.
“One thing I’ve learned about Georgina is that her confidence leads the process,” he said. “She doesn’t rely on hair or makeup to feel her best — she already has it.”
That explains why the final look did not need to be aggressively styled to feel expensive.
“When she has a strong point of view, it translates into the final look,” Oropeza said. “This was about honoring her natural glamour while leaning into something softer and more romantic than people might expect.”
Monica Bellucci helped shape Georgina Rodríguez’s Met Gala hair.
“At first, I was only given one reference: ‘Monica Bellucci,’” Oropeza said.
That makes sense. Bellucci has long represented a very specific kind of beauty: sensual, cinematic, womanly, polished, and never overly eager. For Rodríguez, who carries a similar public aura of glamour and self-possession, the reference gave Oropeza a strong foundation.
“From there, I built a mood board around iconic Monica hairstyles since she defines a timeless European standard of beauty that Georgina also embodies,” he said.
Before the Met Gala, Oropeza and Rodríguez tested a few directions during a shoot. These included “a middle-parted bun and a classic blowout,” he said, and they initially believed they had found the final look.
Then the day of the event arrived. And Rodríguez changed the direction.
“But on the day, Georgina wanted to pivot to something more relaxed and romantic,” Oropeza said. “We collaborated in real time, pulling references and refining the idea, and landed on a soft, loose braid.”
That kind of pivot can look casual from the outside. In reality, it requires what great red carpet beauty depends on: trust. The stylist must quickly understand the client’s instinct, translate it into a durable look, and ensure it photographs well from every angle under unforgiving lighting.
“That flexibility and trust in the moment is something people don’t always see behind the scenes,” Oropeza said.
Georgina Rodríguez’s braid worked because it looked lived-in, not careless.
The success of this look came down to balance.
Too polished, the braid could have looked bridal or overly literal against the angelic reference. Too undone, it could have clashed with the scale of the Met Gala. Oropeza landed in the middle: textured, soft, loose, but still intentional.
The braid needed movement but not frizz. Volume but not heaviness. Pieces pulled out around the face, but not random flyaways. Texture that felt romantic rather than messy, and a structure that could last all night without making the hair stiff.
That is the hidden labor Latinos know well. When a look appears effortless, someone worked hard to make it that way.
The exact products behind Georgina Rodríguez’s Met Gala hair
Oropeza built the look with Nexxus products designed to prep, smooth, texturize, and hold the final shape.
He began with damp hair, using Nexxus Keraphix Liquid Crystallizer Treatment and Nexxus MVP Styler Multitasking Cream. Then he used the Sutra Infrared Blow Dryer to rough-dry the roots and mid-lengths.
Then came the smoothing step.
Oropeza used the Arachne ShineBoost brush with the Sutra dryer to create a smooth finish, then switched to the Sutra Interchangeable Spring Curler Set with the one-inch barrel to add texture and volume.
That curl foundation mattered because the braid needed body before it could look soft. A loose braid without prep falls flat quickly. A loose braid with texture has shape, dimension, and movement.
To build airy texture, Oropeza applied Nexxus Air Shape Workable Hold Texture Spray, adding volume, texture, and hold. Then he created the soft, loose braid, pulled out loose pieces, curled them, and finished with Nexxus Maximum Finish Firm Hold Hairspray.
How to get Georgina Rodríguez’s Met Gala hair at home
The key is to avoid making the braid too perfect.
Start with damp hair and apply a repairing treatment or smoothing cream through the lengths to achieve a polished, not dry texture. Rough-dry the roots first, then smooth the hair with a brush and dryer to create a clean base.
Next, use a one-inch curling iron or wand to add loose bends through the hair. The goal is not perfect curls but movement. The braid needs something to hold onto, and those bends help create the soft, romantic texture that made Rodríguez’s look work.
After curling, apply workable texture spray for volume and grip. Then create a loose braid, keeping tension relaxed. Pull out a few face-framing pieces and curl them lightly to feel intentional. Finish with strong-hold hairspray, but keep your hand light. The look should hold but still feel touchable.
That is the difference between “I braided my hair quickly” and “I am channeling Met Gala Georgina with angelic Monica Bellucci energy.”
Glen Oropeza’s path to the Met Gala started by accident.
Oropeza’s own story adds another layer to the look, as his path into celebrity hair did not begin with a perfectly mapped-out Hollywood plan.
“I actually got into hair by accident,” he said. “I was working at a salon during my third year of college and became really curious about everything — asking nonstop questions about techniques and decisions.”
That curiosity led him to enroll at the Aveda Institute in Philadelphia. Around the same time, reality television helped him realize celebrity hairstyling could become a real career path.
“I was watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians and saw celebrity hairstylists being credited on screen — that was a turning point where I realized that was the path I wanted,” he said.
After about six years working in salons, Oropeza moved into celebrity styling full-time. His first major client came through a referral from Jen Atkin to Chrissy Teigen, a connection he said helped launch his career.
“Over time, I refined my aesthetic, and now I’m known for polished, refined hair that enhances the natural beauty of my clients,” he said.
That aesthetic came through clearly in Rodríguez’s Met Gala look. The braid did not try to turn her into someone else. It enhanced what was already there, then softened it through romance, texture, and reference.