Fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead in her Manhattan home on Tuesday, police told BuzzFeed News, of an apparent suicide.
RIP Kate Spade, a fashionista & timeless icon
Many fans are responding to the news by sharing memories of what Spade's iconic handbags and clothing meant to them:
Ask any girl around my age about getting her first boxy Kate Spade bag and she’ll probably have a story to tell you. It was a magnificently simple cultural marker.
This morning, I was telling someone about receiving my first Kate Spade when I was a young girl and how it made me feel. This is a sad headline 😢 https://t.co/zwlNzLdlRp
Kate Spade was a legendary designer and as a young woman I always despised the idea of owning a purse until she alone showed me how it could be powerful. She embodied the modern woman. RIP Kate Spade 🎀@katespadeny
just looking at kate spade items made me feel happier when i was at my worst. they felt like they were filled with joy, and always managed to bring colour into my world. i'm so so so sad, and i'm sending all my thoughts, love and condolences to her friends and family.
nobody on Earth did Wacky Aunt novelty bags/flats like Kate Spade. So fun and full of joy. Every time I wear or carry something of hers, people stop me to ask about it, because her work is like a beam of silly fun light in this often dreary world. I hope she has found peace ❤️
Absolutely heartbroken to hear that Kate Spade took her own life today. She made the world a more beautiful and colorful place and gave so many women confidence to be themselves. https://t.co/k01dZyXe9O
My heart truly breaks for Kate Spade. Such a tragic loss of such a talented woman. 💔 An icon. Rest In Peace.
Just hearing the Kate Spade news, and am broken-hearted. Her bags are a special thing my dad gets for me and my stepsister (and we have a Kate Spade shower curtain back home because I'm the New Yorker). Her products have always been so sentimental to me. Terribly sad.
Heartbroken to hear about Kate Spade. I hope she can be remembered for her legacy of creating a world of whimsy and making simple things feel special and beautiful. If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health, please know you don't have to do it alone | 1-800-273-8255
Age 13 with a little Kate Spade purse and a Wet Seal dress, you couldn't touch me. What sad sad news.
Kate Spade really defined what it meant to look and feel "Adult" for a certain group of women.
Kate Spade was one of those rare designers who held up from preadolescence to adulthood, probably by making me feel smart & confident in a way no other brands did. What a loss.
RIP Kate Spade - literally one of my favourite designers who always bought colour, quirkiness, and a quality of sophistication into her designs. She will truly be missed. Please contact your local suicide helpline. #KateSpade @katespadeny
I really am so sad about Kate Spade. Her designs have been symbols of confidence and independence for so many women. I bought the 25th Anniversary Sam purse last month as a 25th birthday present for myself. Rest In Peace, Kate ♠️ https://t.co/mzYPeD3l6H
I remember in senior year of high school I saved up for months to buy myself a kate spade wallet. I remember feeling so mature and sophisticated, like I was finally ready to take on the world.
Just saw the news that designer Kate Spade passed away. Her talent will never be forgotten. Her death can be a reminder to check in on your loved ones, and take mental illness seriously. https://t.co/E4eI4JnQLe
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.