When Wednesday returned for Season 2, the mystery and supernatural storylines weren’t the only draw.
The makeup and costume design elevated the show into a visual showcase of gothic elegance, with creative choices that were both rooted in character and bold enough to stand out on screen.
Dramatic Makeup That Adds Layers of Meaning
Makeup head Nirvana Jalalvand kept Wednesday’s base look consistent: pale skin, a cool smoky eye, and a berry lip. That subtle continuity grounds her presence. But at the Venetian gala, the team pushed the design further. A double-winged eyeliner inspired by raven feathers gave Wednesday a sharp, symbolic edge, nodding to her psychic abilities while channeling Victorian and street-goth fashion.
The effect was paired with plum lipstick and a spectral finish, creating one of the season’s standout beauty moments. Products from Pat McGrath Labs were used to achieve the theatrical depth.
Another signature choice this season was the “black tears.” Rather than relying on visual effects, Jalalvand developed a water-activated cream that only appeared when tears formed, leaving haunting dark streaks down Jenna Ortega’s face. The decision kept the effect grounded in reality, making Wednesday’s psychic toll feel physically lived-in.
Costumes That Expand the World
Costume designers Colleen Atwood and Mark Sutherland returned for Season 2, reshaping Wednesday’s wardrobe while expanding the show’s visual vocabulary. Her Nevermore uniform was slightly reworked in muted gray tones to highlight her outsider status. For casual scenes, they introduced subtle nods to the 1990s, layered knits, loose t-shirts, and a sporty tracksuit used in Willow Hill sequences, while keeping to Wednesday’s monochromatic palette.
The Venetian Ball: Wednesday’s Most Ambitious Set Piece
Episode 7’s Venetian gala is the visual high point of Wednesday Season 2. Written as a grand fundraiser orchestrated by Morticia, it became the season’s most ambitious costume showcase. Designers Colleen Atwood and Mark Sutherland led a team of nearly a hundred craftspeople, tailors, dyers, printers, and standbys who collectively created almost one thousand garments just for this sequence. Every fabric was aged, dyed, and altered by hand, giving the ball an authentic patina of gothic history.
The inspiration came from 18th-century Venetian style, but with a modern Addams spin. Morticia’s gown is a standout, featuring exterior panniers that traditionally would have been hidden under the skirt. The exposed framework gave her silhouette a sharp, architectural edge while keeping true to her sensual, dramatic presence. The men’s wear stayed closer to historical silhouettes, while the women’s looks were reinterpreted with theatrical flourishes—bigger skirts, darker fabrics, and unexpected contemporary touches.
The gowns were so vast that staging the ball required precise choreography. Cast members rehearsed movement to avoid colliding with the skirts, which often spread as wide as tables. Jenna Ortega remarked that the weight and structure of her costumes shaped her performance: she stood taller, moved more deliberately, and let the costume dictate the physicality of Wednesday’s presence at the gala.
The result is a ball unlike any other: an 18th-century gothic masquerade reframed through Tim Burton’s lens. It’s lush, eerie, and immersive, a scene that doesn’t just advance the story but also cements the series as a true fashion spectacle.
The Addams Family at the Gala
The gala also brought Morticia into focus. Catherine Zeta-Jones’s look played with historical detail, including pannier structures worn outside the garment to create a dramatic Louis XV-style silhouette. This modern twist preserved Morticia’s sensuality while rooting her in the show’s Venetian theme.
As Sutherland explained, the design process began with a simple question: what would Morticia do if she planned this ball herself? The result was an opulent mix of period inspiration, modern detailing, and gothic playfulness.
Agnes DeMille: A New Style Icon
Season 2 also introduced Agnes DeMille, played by Evie Templeton. For her, the creative team collaborated with makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, who shared on Instagram that she worked directly with Tim Burton, Atwood, and hairstylist Francesco Pegoretti to craft Agnes’s look. Her style drew inspiration from Jane Birkin, blending innocence with unsettling presence.
Signature Wednesday Looks That Define Story Moments
- Scene: Every day at Nevermore
- Makeup Highlight: Soft smoky eye, berry lip
- Costume Highlight: Gray-toned uniform, subtle texture layering
- Scene: Venetian Gala
- Makeup Highlight: Raven-wing double eyeliner, plum lip
- Costume Highlight: 18th-century silhouettes with a gothic spin
- Scene: Psychic vision scenes
- Makeup Highlight: Black tear effect (practical makeup)
- Costume Highlight: Dark layered costumes, reflecting turmoil
The Takeaway
The work behind Wednesday Season 2 makeup and costume goes beyond aesthetics. Every stroke of eyeliner and every stitched panel reflects story, personality, and gothic tradition. From Wednesday’s raven-inspired eye to Morticia’s Venetian gown and Agnes’s Birkin-tinged debut, the visual design amplified the drama, making Season 2 not just a narrative success but a fashion landmark as well.
