Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shannon Doherty both paid tribute on Monday to their friend and stylist Deborah Waknin-Harwin, who sadly passed away.
Waknin-Harwin, who battled cancer for the last few years, plied her trade as a stylist for over 25 years in Hollywood, where she helped the rich and famous look fabulous.
Sarah Michell Gellar took to Instagram to say, “she was at a loss for words” over the death of her friend.
Accompanying a slideshow of herself with Waknin-Harwin and Doherty, Gellar wrote: “there are so many things about Deborah Waknin that I love.
“She taught me so much about style and fashion, but more than that, she taught me about true friendship when I was very young in Hollywood.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shannon Doherty, and Deborah Waknin-Harwin were all friends
Gellar went on to say how grateful she was to both Waknin-Harwin and Doherty for helping her through her early days in Hollywood.
Shannen Doherty also posted an emotional tribute where she discussed the time spent with her friend.
“It was… a friendship that in 28 years has endured, grown, and been cherished by us both,” Doherty wrote.
“She taught me to play backgammon. She introduced me to the island of ST. Barth, which started our girl trips there. She taught me that when she dressed me, I looked better lol.”
The Beverly Hills 90210 star also wrote about how they had been together through boyfriends and husbands, and how they helped each other as they both battled cancer.
“She was a constant. Thru my cancer and I for her when she got diagnosed 4 years ago.”
Who was Deborah Waknin-Harwin?
In her Instagram profile, the stylist described herself as a mother, wife, and an animal lover. She also wrote that she was a costume designer and a member of the Costume Designers Guild (CDG).
According to the School of Style, Waknin-Harwin was initially interested in art history and costume design and ended up in fashion styling by accident.
She began her career working at Maybelline in New York when she was just 18-years-old.
After setting up shop in Hollywood, Waknin-Harwin developed a loyal following of clients that included many A-list celebrities. She collaborated with Sandra Bullock, Halle Berry, Megan Fox, Sofía Vergara, and Vanessa Hudgens, to name but a few.
According to Doherty’s Instagram post, Waknin-Harwin was a multi-linguist who spoke at least five languages and attended the same high school as the actress, although at different times.
May she rest in peace.
Shannen Doherty last month revealed on Good Morning America that her cancer had returned after 5-years. Doherty also recently revealed how her cancer diagnosis had had a positive effect on her marriage.