In Kate’s Honor
In tribute to the recent death of Kate Spade, the cofounder and namesake of Kate Spade New York, the company disclosed plans today to provide a charitable donation to support suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
Spade, who cofounded the company in 1993, died in her apartment of suicide on June 5. She was 55.
The Kate Spade New York Foundation will donate $1 million to suicide prevention and mental health awareness causes, beginning with $250,000 to the Crisis Text Line. Additionally, the brand will match public donations made to the Crisis Text line starting June 20 through June 29, up to the amount of $100,000. Donations during this time can be made through crisistextline.org/katespadeny.
“Kate Spade was a true fashion icon who brought joy to the lives of women around the world, and inspired women to live life to the fullest. We are dedicated to carrying on her legacy,” said Anna Bakst, brand president and chief executive officer of Kate Spade New York. “The outpouring of love on social media and in our shops from customers of all ages has been overwhelming and moving, It is such a beautiful reflection of how much Kate was loved.”
Baskt added, “Mental health does not discriminate; it is complicated and difficult to diagnose and can often be life-threatening. We hope that our support will shed even more light on the disease and encourage those who suffer from mental health issues to seek help. Collectively, we must all do more.”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in the U.S., one in five adults experiences a mental illness, and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the country. Nearly 60 percent of adults with a mental health illness did not receive metal health services in the previous year.
Kate Spade New York will host a Global Mental Health Awareness Day for employees in corporate and regional offices, as the first installment of a Wellness Program that the company is introducing in the coming months. The brand's objective is to generate greater awareness of mental health, call attention to the common risks and warning signs, and encourage effective interventions and treatments for those in need.
The Crisis Text line provides free, 24/7 support for people in crisis via text. They can text 741741 to be connected to a trained crisis counselor.
Spade's funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m. at Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Church in Kansas City, Mo., where Spade was born, according to a spokesman at the Katy McGilley State Line Chapel.
— LISA LOCKWOOD as part of the traditional carriage procession headed by the queen on the first day of Royal Ascot.
For each day of the Royal
Ascot event, members of the royal family enter the racecourse from Windsor Castle via a horse-drawn procession, a tradition that dates back to 1825. This marks the start of the day's racing events.
Royal Ascot has a strict dress code laid out in the Royal Ascot Style Guide. Last year Ascot approved jumpsuits on women, but they've yet to embrace the off-theshoulder styles favored by Markle.
To honor the dress code, Markle wore a collared, buttoned-up embroidered white dress from Givenchy, which she paired with a monochrome black-and-white Philip Treacy hat.
Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, were not in attendance at the Royal Ascot. The duchess is still on maternity leave with little Prince Louis, while Prince William is attending the International Business Festival in Liverpool. — FIONA MA at Nike from 2006 to 2012, before moving on as creative director to Billionaire Boys Club, founded by Pharrell Williams and Nigo. In 2015, he became creative director of DYNE, and in 2017, he was among the finalists of the Woolmark Prize.
“This was a great business opportunity,” said Asher Lee, divisional manager of marketing at Spyder, of the expansion into the lifestyle category, who sees “a casual line in the future” for the brand. “We chose to come to Milan Fashion Week because the brands here are sophisticated in terms of fabrics and technology. Spyder blends technical performance innovation with design and we want to expand in Europe,” Lee revealed.
Spyder is owned by Global Brands Group, which last year acquired the operations of BCBG Max Azria Group LLC. GBG, a member of the Fung Group, manages licensing for several brands including Under Armour, Kenneth Cole and Juicy Couture.
— LUISA ZARGANI