Elyce Arons Shares Heartbreaking Memories of Her Best Friend Kate Spade in New Memoir

We Just Might Make It After All, Elyce Arons shares intimate memories of her best friend Kate Spade, shedding light on their special bond and the tragic loss of Spade, who died by suicide on June 5, 2018. Their friendship began at the University of Kansas in 1981, and over the years, it evolved from college roommates to business partners who helped build the iconic Kate Spade brand.

For seven years, Arons has kept these stories to herself, but now, with the publication of the memoir, she courageously opens up about the woman she called “Katy”, offering a rare glimpse into their personal connection and the struggles that remained hidden behind the success of the beloved fashion icon. Arons describes the emotional void left by Spade’s death as a “permanent ache,” one that she continues to navigate to this day.

The memoir brings the reader through their early years at college, their shared sense of humor, and their professional journey that led to the launch of the Kate Spade handbag line in the 1990s. Arons recalls the moment when they were nominated for a CFDA award in 1995, feeling overwhelmed and underprepared as they posed on the red carpet next to fashion royalty. Despite Katy’s success, she was always more reserved and would have rather avoided the limelight that came with it.

Though their business ventures flourished, Spade’s personal life was not without its challenges. Arons opens up about the pressure Spade faced in her later years, particularly after launching her second brand, Frances Valentine, in 2016. By then, the weight of balancing fame, business, and personal demons had become overwhelming for Spade.

Arons recalls one poignant night in Cabo San Lucas, where she and Spade, having just sold the Kate Spade brand in full, sat together watching the sunset and reflecting on their future. Spade said, “Whatever it is, we’ll do it together.” But just two years later, Spade would tragically take her own life, leaving Arons with more questions than answers.

One of the most emotionally charged moments in the memoir recounts the visit Arons made to Spade’s Park Avenue apartment days after her death. The once-bright, tidy space now seemed dark and chaotic, a haunting reflection of the void left by Spade’s absence. As Arons went into the closet to retrieve clothes, a swarm of moths suddenly flew out, prompting her to momentarily believe Spade was playing one of their old pranks. But in that instant, she realized that Katy was truly gone.

The memoir paints a picture of Spade’s complex inner life, the woman behind the brand who felt things more deeply than most. Arons offers a poignant tribute to a friend who was both an iconic fashion designer and a vulnerable, sensitive soul.

As Arons continues to process the loss, she encourages readers to cherish their loved ones and never take their relationships for granted. In her own words, “Go to your sister or your best girlfriend who’s just like a sister to you. Go to her today and hug her so hard that it’s like you won’t ever let her go.”

Arons’ memoir is a powerful and moving reflection of a friendship that defied the trappings of fame and success, offering a window into the life of Kate Spade that the public never saw.