Celebrities and designers reacted with shock and sadness Tuesday after news broke that Kate Spade has died at 55.
The renowned New York-based designer was found by her housekeeper in what authorities are calling a suicide, The Associated Press reports.
Spade, née Katherine Noel Brosnahan, was famous for her lines of handbags and womenswear, which she founded in 1993 with her husband, Andy. Though the Spades stepped away from the brand in 2007, the two ― with the aid of two friends ― started a new venture in 2016 called Frances Valentine. The brand is named after the couple’s only child, Frances Beatrix Spade, 13, as well as other family members on Kate’s side.
Kate Spade New York released a statement about its “visionary founder” on Tuesday.
“Our thoughts are with her family at this incredibly heartbreaking time,” KSNY said via Twitter. “We honor all the beauty she brought into this world.”
Chelsea Clinton, Kenneth Cole, Josh Groban, Liz Lange and many more also mourned Spade’s death on social media.
“My grandmother gave me my first Kate Spade bag when I was in college. I still have it,” Clinton wrote. “Holding Kate’s family, friends and loved ones in my heart.”
Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb issued a statement Tuesday on behalf of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which had just held its 2018 awards Monday night.
“The CFDA is devastated to hear the news of our friend, colleague, and CFDA member Kate Spade’s tragic passing,” the statement said. “She was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion and the way the world viewed American accessories. We want to honor her life and her major contribution to the fashion business and express our most sincere condolences to the family.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.
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