The cause of death for famed hairstylist to the stars, Oribe Canales, has been determined to be cardiac arrest. According to Radar Online , the stylist’s sister — Gracie Cuervo — has come forward to speak out regarding the passing of the beauty icon, one who worked with some of the top celebrities in the world.
“He was sick for just a few weeks,” Cuervo said. “It wasn’t like it was anything he had been struggling with for a long time. It was very fast. He ultimately went into cardiac arrest.”
According to Cuervo, Canales had been living in Miami at the time of his death; however, he could frequently be seen flying to New York to see a host of medical specialists. He was attempting to deal with complications surrounding a mysterious unidentified illness, one which his sister did not specify.
The Cuban-born hairstylist shot to fame in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and quickly set himself apart from the pack with his daring and unconventional hairstyles. He worked with Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and other assorted supermodels to achieve some of the most iconic looks of the time.
But Oribe didn’t intend to become a titan of the hair industry. According to People , the legendary hairstylist originally wanted to be an actor.
what they say is true ….. my heart is in a thousand tiny little pieces today….. can’t catch my breath ….. oh how I will miss my sweet friend @ORIBEcanales Knowing I can’t call you right now to laugh , to talk hair , to talk life ,to talk shit, makes me shake in disbelief. pic.twitter.com/jIx7V7robc
— Miley Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) December 17, 2018
Since news of his passing, celebrities — and luminaries of the beauty and fashion fields — have come forward to fondly remember Canales. Superstars such as Lady Gaga, Kate Moss, and Miley Cyrus have all posted sweet messages, and offered up touching tributes, to the late stylist.
Canales’ career spanned more than 30 years. During that time, he worked with virtually every single major runway show, including the iconic Versace shows. A close friend of the late Gianni Versace, Canales was instrumental in constructing the signature looks that came to represent the label.
Canales’ work extended beyond the runway, however. His work appeared in some of the biggest beauty and fashion publications in the world, from Glamour to Vogue. In later years, Canales focused in on celebrity beauty, catering to the likes of Meghan Markle, Gisele Bundchen, and Rihanna, to name just a few.
In between beautifying much of Hollywood and the music world, Canales was also an entrepreneur. The visionary launched his signature haircare line back in 2008, called Oribe Hair Care. The highly coveted products have been praised among the industry, further cementing Canales’ place as a pioneer in hairstyle and in beauty.
Oribe Canales was 62 at the time of his death.