On Tuesday morning, celebrated fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead in her Manhattan apartment. She was 55 years old. According to New York Police Department sources, her death was an apparent suicide, hanged by a scarf which she allegedly tied to a doorknob. According to the same sources, she left a note addressing her 13-year-old daughter and husband.
Kate was best known for creating her iconic handbag line, which was a symbol of adulthood for a generation of women. All day long, Twitter users mourned the designer by sharing fond memories of their first colorful Kate Spade bag. Through the The New York times, Kate's family released a statement, writing, "We are all devastated by today's tragedy. We loved Kate dearly and will miss her terribly. We would ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time."
Kate Spade New York, the company she founded in 1993, also released a statement: "Although Kate has not been affiliated with the brand for more than a decade, she and her husband and creative partner, Andy, were the founders of our beloved brand. Kate will be dearly missed. Our thoughts are with Andy and the entire Spade family at this time." In a tweet, they added, "We honor all the beauty she brought into this world."
Now, comedian, actor and Saturday Night Live alum David Spade has paid tribute to late sister-in-law. That's right - Kate Spade and David Spade are related. (Surprising, right?) On Twitter, David shared a photo of "Katy" at a signing for his memoir, Almost interesting. He wrote, "Katy at my book signing, I love this pic of her. So pretty. I dont think everyone knew how f--king funny she was... Its a rough world out there people. Try to hang on."
David also paid tribute on Instagram, sharing a blurry photo of the two during the holiday season. "Fuzzy picture but i love it," wrote the Joe Dirt star in the caption. "Kate and I during Christmas family photos. We had so much fun that day. She was so sharp and quick on her feet. She could make me laugh so hard. I still cant believe it. Its a rough world out there people, try to hang on."
On Twitter, several celebrities joined the outpouring of grief. Mindy Kaling said Kate’s clothes "were colorful, bold, cheerful, and encouraged women to find the twinkly person inside them." Lucy Hale said, "Mental illness does not discriminate and can happen to anyone with any circumstances." Lena Dunham said she had "a quirky visual language that captivated Bat Mitzvah girls and artists alike." And Olivia Munn said she treasured her first purse so much she "was obsessed with keeping the little white Kate Spade label clean."
Kate Spade bags were so popular, they even had fans from opposite ends of the political spectrum: Chelsea Clinton and Ivanka Trump.
Our thoughts are with the Spade family during this time.