Bridgerton’s costume designer reveals the secret meanings behind Queen Charlotte’s wigs

Every season of Bridgerton, I am seated, ready to see Queen Charlotte’s wigs, which honestly deserve their own show at this point.

In an episode of Glamour’s DesignFiles, Bridgerton hair and makeup designer Nic Collins spilled the tea on how the Queen’s iconic looks are created, and the deeper meanings hidden in all that glorious hair.

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The wigs are extravagant, towering and occasionally borderline chaotic, but they’re also deeply intentional. Each wig represents Charlotte’s power, wealth, personality, and yes… even her boredom. Every look is custom-matched to her outfits, with intricate detailing, Afro-inspired silhouettes, and heavily jeweled creations, many crafted sustainably using hair from previous seasons.

The wigs are art, innovation, and sometimes… mechanical chaos

One of the most talked-about looks from season three was the now-legendary swan wig, which featured a 3D-printed structure, oil-painted backdrop, and battery-powered crystal swans that literally move.

Motorised swans were not a thing in regency England. But this is also a world where orchestral covers of BTS and Pitbull play at interracial ballroom dances, so historical accuracy clearly clocks out.

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Celebrating Black hair and identity was non-negotiable

For Queen Charlotte actor Golda Rosheuvel, the wigs were also deeply personal. She’s spoken emotionally about how meaningful it was to collaborate with designers who wanted to incorporate her own hair textures into the looks.

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She explained to Refinery 29 that it was the first time she’d had in-depth conversations with department heads about celebrating her Blackness through her character’s hair, something she said had never happened before in her career as a Black artist.

And that intention shows. One wig, built around traditional Igbo braids, represents strength and pride, a cultural nod that fits Charlotte’s commanding presence perfectly.

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Some wigs took actual sleepless nights to create

Behind the glamour is an absurd amount of engineering. The masquerade ball wig, for example, gave the design team “the most sleepless nights” because they wanted to create a self-supporting cage entirely from hair.

The finished look features a heart-shaped silver-leaf cage inspired by King George’s love of astronomy. Inside sits a miniature replica of Charlotte’s nuptial crown, also crafted from hair. Casual.

Another elaborate design includes “hair feathers”, painstakingly made strand by strand, a reminder that these pieces are as much sculpture as they are hairstyling.

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Queen Charlotte literally never repeats a look

According to assistant hair and makeup designer Giorgio Galliero, Charlotte wears 19 wigs in a single season, and she never repeats a style. If a wig appears in multiple scenes, it’s because those scenes are part of the same story day.

One standout piece is the “Tree of Life” wig, featuring 13 branches representing Charlotte’s children. Made from acrylic grey hair braided into an upward tree shape, it’s a creative reinterpretation of the early-1800s Apollo knot hairstyle.

Who knows what’ll be next!

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Featured image credit: Netflix