A Glimpse into the World of Tim Burton

By Olivia Liu

After the “Brat Summer” and “Office Siren” trends of 2025, the spotlight has shifted towards “Burtoncore.” Inspired by film director Tim Burton, his gothy, yet whimsical aesthetic has taken off following the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and season two of Netflix’s Wednesday. Known for admiring actresses such as Winona Ryder and Helena Bonham Carter, Burton now has Jenna Ortega as the latest face of his ravishing vision.

What is the “Tim Burton Aesthetic”? 

Think of his movies Corpse Bride and Alice in Wonderland, in simplest terms the “Tim Burton Aesthetic” refers to his signature style: gothic and dark, yet simultaneously fairy-like. His characters’ often wide, expressive eyes give them an almost otherworldly look, both innocent and eerie yet brings a surreal, dreamlike quality to them. 

The Blueprint 

Beginning in the 1990’s, Tim Burton found his signature style not only on screen, but in the people who inspired it. His original muses: Winona Ryder, Johnny Depp, and Helena Bonham Carter, weren’t just actors; they were the living embodiment of his imagination. Ryder held an ethereal presence, Depp added quirky eccentricity, and Bonham Carter infused dark, romantic energy together in order to shape classics such as Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns. They weren’t just in his movies; they became the blueprint for the Burton aesthetic; an unforgettable style that still inspires the Burtoncore trend today.

His most recent muse: Jenna Ortega 

Jenna Ortega has become a fresh face to Tim Burton's long heritage of muses. Recently, she revamped her entire aesthetic, and now encapsulates the bizarre, frightening charm that has characterized Burton's aesthetic for decades. With her adherence to a gloomy yet mysterious demeanor, she is the epitome of Burtoncore in every way. She's wide-eyed and doll-like, yet her expression is strangely unsettling. With a subtle tilt of the head or a piercing stare, she has mastered the art of conveying deep emotion, all while maintaining a pale, almost spectral, appearance.