Andrew Gelwicks, Catherine O’Hara’s Longtime Stylist, Remembers the Late Comedy Legend

I’ve always thought choosing a stylist is like gamers selecting their avatar—something I refer to as “choosing your warrior.” We stylists fight on behalf of our clients and protect them. We can both push and nurture simultaneously, with the goal of bringing beauty, art, and soul to the forefront. Good styling, as I’ve come to learn, has its own heartbeat—an aliveness felt by the person wearing the look and everyone who sees them. I loved being Catherine’s warrior. I loved searching for the one piece that was worthy of her elegance and brilliance. It was both a badge of honor and armor as I found my voice in this noisy industry.

It should come as no surprise that she never cared about what designer she was wearing, the season it was from, or whether anyone had worn it before. She was drawn to what made her smile and laugh, what she would genuinely have fun wearing. Catherine found the glee in a reptilian Coperni topcoat with matching thigh-high boots, as well as a licorice-inspired Oscar de la Renta that wound up her body and unraveled around her; she said, “How fun!” to entering Thom Browne’s alternate universe.

Photo: Alexandra Arnold

Photo: Alexandra Arnold

Seeing the global outpouring of love since her passing, it’s clear her authenticity was universally felt. Catherine uplifted us in a world that often tears us down. That, to me, was her greatest talent—even greater than the brilliance of her performances: her unique ability to make us fall in love with her and, by doing so, make us feel less alone.

As much as I cherished being Catherine’s warrior, I only wish I had been able to tell her she was mine. In an industry built on the tenets of new, now, next, she showed unparalleled loyalty and always made it known she was appreciative. In contrast to much of the world we experience today, Catherine personified genuine kindness, warmth, love, humor, and joy. It poured out of her. Wherever she went, she made people feel special and seen. She was a nurturer, a trait reflected in the many beloved characters she played throughout the years.