How did Kate Spade die? Designer’s health struggles explored 7 years after tragic death

After seven years of Kate Spade’s death, her friend from college and fashion entrepreneur, Elyce Arons, has released a memoir titled We Just Might Make It After All. The book provides insights into the friendship of the Kate Spade New York co-founders and the aftermath of the former’s unexpected demise.

The Kansas City native passed away on June 5, 2018, at 55 in her Park Avenue, Manhattan apartment from suicide. A housekeeper discovered Spade hanging in her bedroom, according to CBS News. Per the outlet, she also left behind a note addressed to her daughter, Frances Beatrice Valentine Spade.

After Kate’s passing, her husband, Andy Spade, issued a statement reflecting on the mental health struggles of his spouse. According to him, the NYC-based fashion designer,

“suffered from depression and anxiety for many years.”

According to Andy Spade, per Variety,

“She [Kate Spade] was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy.”

He added,

“There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling.”

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Kate Spade allegedly suffered from bipolar disorder for a few years, according to her sister

Kate’s older sister, Reta Saffo, also opened up about her sibling’s mental health concerns. In an email to The Kansas City Star, she talked about Spade’s death being “not unexpected.” Per her statement to the newspaper, Saffo believed that her sister suffered from “debilitating mental illness” such as bipolar disorder for a few years and was “self-medicating with alcohol.”

Kate Spade’s older sister wrote in her email to The Kansas City Star (in June 2018),

“I will say this was not unexpected by me. I'd flown out to Napa and NYC several times in the past 3-4 years to help her to get the treatment she needed (inpatient hospitalization). She was always a very excitable little girl and I felt all the stress/pressure of her brand may have flipped the switch where she eventually became full-on manic depressive.”

Saffo also wrote about pursuing Kate to seek medical help, but her sister backed off. Reta also mentioned Andy Spade unsuccessfully “trying to coax” his wife into treatment. Kate Spade’s sister added,

“After numerous attempts, I finally let go. Sometimes you simply cannot SAVE people from themselves!”

Reta Saffo also mentioned a conversation she had with her sister about her funeral, indicating that Spade,

“had a plan, but she insisted she did not.”

She further mentioned Kate’s reaction to Robin William’s demise,

“We were freaked out/saddened, but she kept watching it and watching it over and over. I think the plan was already in motion even as far back as then.”

At the time of her demise, Kate Spade was living separately from her husband for nearly 10 months, per his statement. Per Andy, they were not legally separated and were residing “within a few blocks of each other.” In her memoir We Might Just Make It After All, Elyce Arons spoke about the couple’s separation.

According to People, Frances Valentine, founder/CEO, revealed that Andy and Kate “were trying to work things out” and “loved each other.” The pair were also business partners, who co-founded Kate Spade New York in January 1993 with Elyce Arons.