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Designer Kate Spade Dies by Apparent Suicide at 55

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Editor's Note

If you experience suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide, the following post could be potentially triggering. You can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741741.

Fashion designer Kate Spade died by an apparent suicide on Tuesday in her New York City apartment, multiple police sources have confirmed, according to CBS New York.

Spade, born Kate Brosnahan and known as Kate Valentine following the sale of her brand, was 55. She first launched Kate Spade Handbags in 1993 and was internationally-known for her clothing and handbags. Kate Spade New York has over 140 U.S. stores and more than 175 international locations. She introduced a new fashion line named after her daughter, Frances Valentine, in 2016, after selling the remainder of her Kate Spade shares in 2006.

The Kate Spade New York account tweeted a statement Tuesday afternoon. The company said its thoughts are with Spade’s family and it honors “all the beauty she brought into this world.”

Spade was incredibly successful in her career, but suicide doesn’t discriminate. Suicide risk peaks for middle-aged women, according to the American Association of Suicidology (AAS).

“Women of any socio-demographic group can die by suicide,” Julie Cerel, president of AAS, said in a statement. “People who are suicidal often find it difficult to see past their successes, their families or anything but their current struggle.”

If this news is hard for you, know you are not alone — and there is help for people who are feeling suicidal. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text “START” to 741-741. Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.

Fans reacted to the news on Twitter and shared their condolences.

This post will be updated as more information becomes available. 

Image via Creative Commons/Corey Coyle

Originally published: June 5, 2018
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