LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 05: Actor Tim Conway arrives at the Paley Center for Media and TV Land salute of "The Bob Newhart Show" at the Paley Center for Media on September 5, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) Niki Lauda celebrates after the Formula One Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone on July 16, 2017 in Northampton, England. Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr just before his retirement in 1972. GULFPORT, MS - JUNE 22: U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) looks on during a campaign rally at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport on June 22, 2014 in Gulfport, Mississippi. Tea Party-backed Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Chris McDaniel, a Mississippi state senator, is locked in a tight runoff race with incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) who failed to win the nomination in the primary election. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, followed by her brother, Tony Rodham, stop at Casa Bella Italian Restaurant in Scranton, Pennsylvania on Friday evening April 22, 2016. Hillary Clinton's father was born in Scranton, and she has family in the area. (Photo by Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: Denise Nickerson who played Violet Beauregarde in the original film attends the 40th Anniversary of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory at Jacques Torres Chocolates on October 18, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images) English rock group the Baker Gurvitz Army in a studio, August 1974. Left to right: Paul Gurvitz, Ginger Baker and Adrian Gurvitz. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) SANTA MONICA, CA - JUNE 16: James Shaw Jr. accepts award from Actor Chadwick Boseman onstage at the 2018 MTV Movie And TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 16, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) title: Chadwick Boseman's Howard University 2018 Commencement Speech duration: 00:34:41 site: Youtube author: null published: Mon May 14 2018 10:29:12 GMT-0400 (EDT) intervention: yes description: Howard University alumnus Chadwick Boseman provides words of inspiration to the Class of 2018 during Howard University's 150th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 12 in Washington, D.C. In this Feb. 14, 2018 photo, actor Chadwick Boseman poses for a portrait in New York to promote his film, "Black Panther." Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, has died of cancer. His representative says Boseman died Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 in Los Angeles after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 43. NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Designer Kate Spade attends AOL Build Series to discuss her latest project Frances Valentine at Build Studio on April 28, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/FilmMagic) (CNN) — Celebrities like Mindy Kaling, Lena Dunham and Olivia Munn are among those who have paid tribute to designer Kate Spade, who died Tuesday. She was 55. Spade is best known for founding her eponymous fashion brand, recognized for its handbags and use of bright, vivid colors and patterns. I am heartbroken about the news of Kate Spade. I have worn her clothes many, many times. They were colorful, bold, cheerful, and encouraged women to find the twinkly person inside them. You couldn’t walk into her boutiques and not smile. Rest In Peace, Kate. — Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) June 5, 2018 Very saddened to hear about the passing of Kate Spade. Mental illness does not discriminate and can happen to anyone with any circumstances. I hope she has found peace ❤️ — Lucy Hale (@lucyhale) June 5, 2018 Kate Spade was more than a designer. She had a quirky visual language that captivated Bat Mitzvah girls and artists alike. She was also a staple of NYC who spread good will. My heart breaks for her family. Thank you, Kate, from one of the millions you made feel beautiful. — Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) June 5, 2018 My very first designer purse was a black, shoulder strap Kate Spade. I treasured it and was obsessed with keeping the little white Kate Spade label clean. It’s funny how a purse can instantly make you feel like an adult. Rest in love. ❤️❤️❤️⛅️ — o l i v i a (@oliviamunn) June 5, 2018 Spade was found dead Tuesday morning in her New York City apartment from apparent suicide. “I am heartbroken about the news of Kate Spade. I have worn her clothes many, many times,” Mindy Kaling wrote. “They were colorful, bold, cheerful, and encouraged women to find the twinkly person inside them.” Bryce Dallas Howard, who served as a brand ambassador for Kate Spade in 2011, described how she was inspired by Spade. “She made fashion fun and empowering and full of personality,” Howard wrote in part. “My love is with her family and friends at this very sad time.” “Kate Spade was more than a designer. She had a quirky visual language that captivated Bat Mitzvah girls and artists alike,” Lena Dunham added in a tweet. “She was also a staple of NYC who spread good will. My heart breaks for her family. Thank you, Kate, from one of the millions you made feel beautiful.” Depression does not discriminate and comes without warning. RIP Kate Spade. Love to her family. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 — josh groban (@joshgroban) June 5, 2018 My grandmother gave me my first Kate Spade bag when I was in college. I still have it. Holding Kate’s family, friends and loved ones in my heart. — Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) June 5, 2018 Kate Spade’s tragic passing is a painful reminder that we never truly know another’s pain or the burden they carry. If you are struggling with depression and contemplating suicide, please, please seek help. https://t.co/eruSexNoGj — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 5, 2018 Some of those paying tribute to Spade recalled their first experience with the brand, once perceived to be a status-symbol. “My grandmother gave me my first Kate Spade bag when I was in college,” wrote Chelsea Clinton on social media. “I still have it. Holding Kate’s family, friends and loved ones in my heart.” @DavidSpade - all my love to u dave - — ROSIE (@Rosie) June 5, 2018 I loved @katespadeny’s beautiful and whimsical fashions. So sad. Prayers to her family. — Savannah Guthrie (@SavannahGuthrie) June 5, 2018 Me heart goes out to Kate Spade's family. May we all take note that we never know what goes on in someone’s life. Be kind to people today, even those you think have it all. https://t.co/1SFbSRfQK6 — Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) June 5, 2018 Rosie O’Donnell sent well-wishes to actor David Spade, who is Kate Spade’s brother-in-law. She married David Spade’s brother, Andy, in 1994. “All my love to u dave,” O’Donnell said on Twitter. Kate Spade’s niece, actress Rachel Brosnahan, is the star of Amazon’s “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Developing story.<doc-sep>Fashion designer Kate Spade passed away Tuesday at the age of 55. A New York City Police Department spokesman confirmed to Glamour that a housekeeper discovered Spade, who was "unconscious" and "unresponsive," in her Park Avenue apartment at around 10:20 A.M. Multiple news outlets are reporting Spade left a note, though no details are available at this time. Spade was a ubiquitous force in the fashion industry, both through her self-titled brand, which she and husband Andy Spade cofounded in 1993 and then sold in 2007) and which had a global influence thanks to its bags, as well as through Frances Valentine (the accessories label she debuted in 2016). In 2017 Kate Spade the company sold to Coach for an estimated $2.4 billion. Celebrities, fashion industry insiders, and friends of the Spade family have taken to social media to express their condolences and remember the designer's legacy; many tributes mention mental health, as it's reported that Spade died by suicide, and include phone numbers people can call if they need help. If you're dealing with depression or suicidal thoughts, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.<doc-sep>
Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Incidentally, Spade was famous for her cheerful, colorful designs, which... Friends and family close to designer Kate Spade, who was found hanged Tuesday, were shocked by her untimely demise. Spade’s niece Whitney Pozgay, who runs the fashion brand WHIT, wept when reached by phone, saying she’d only just heard about her aunt’s death. “She was wonderful,” she said. “We have no comment at this time. We are just learning about it through media reports.” Spade was found in her Upper East Side apartment Tuesday morning, hanging from a doorknob by a scarf, police sources said. Her housekeeper found her, and the fashion great, known for her eclectic purses and accessories, was pronounced dead shortly after. Spade’s neighbor Shelly Bitt, 21, who used to work for the designer in California, couldn’t believe the news. “I just saw her here a week and a half ago. She didn’t say anything, she just smiled and waved. This is horrible,” Bitt said. “She was a nice woman, always had a smile on her face.” Spade sold her Kate Spade brand about 10 years ago and has been detached from it since, but the company released a statement expressing its condolences. “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,” Julia Curry, a senior manager for the brand, said in the statement. Celebrities across the fashion world and beyond quickly took to Twitter to express their sympathy. “Kate Spade’s tragic passing is a painful reminder that we never truly know another’s pain or the burden they carry,” Ivanka Trump tweeted just after 1 p.m. “If you are struggling with depression and contemplating suicide, please, please seek help.“ Chelsea Clinton also shared her condolences, saying she was given her first Kate Spade bag in college by her grandmother. “I still have it. Holding Kate’s family, friends and loved ones in my heart,” Clinton tweeted. The Council of Fashion Designers of America expressed “our most sincere condolences to the family.” “She was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion and the way the world viewed American accessories,” the group said in a statement. Liz Lange, a maternity style expert, said Spade was the first person to compliment her on her own brand. “I am heart broken by this news,” she wrote. Singer Jessica Vosk called Spade a “pioneer for women’s fashion” and a “success in every way.” “But mental illness does not discriminate,” her tweet went on. “No matter who you are. If you ever feel alone, know there is ALWAYS help.” Additional reporting by Kirsten Fleming