The legendary fashion designer Kate Spade, 55, was found dead in her N.Y.C. apartment on Tuesday from suicide and according to new reports, she talked to her father the day before her death.
“She was happy and we made plans to meet in California,” her father, Earl “Frank” Brosnahan told the Wall Street Journal about their last conversation.
She reportedly “spoke excitedly” to her father about a West Coast trip she was going on with her daughter, 13-year-old Frances Beatrix Spade.
On Wednesday Kate’s husband and business partner, Andy Spade, released a statement to The New York Times, revealing that his wife suffered from mental illness.
“Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years,” he said. “She 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,” Andy said. “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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He also addressed divorce rumors about the couple. “For the past 10 months we had been living separately, but within a few blocks of each other. Bea was living with both of us and we saw each other or spoke every day. We ate many meals together as a family and continued to vacation together as a family. Our daughter was our priority,” he said.
A source confirms to PEOPLE that both Kate and Andy had hired attorneys prior to the designer’s death, however Andy says in his statement that the couple “never even discussed divorce.”
“We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how. We were together for 35 years. We loved each other very much and simply needed a break,” Andy continued.
He wrote that he and their family are “heartbroken” and “miss her already.”
“Kate was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was the kindest person I’ve ever known and my best friend for 35 years. My daughter and I are devastated by her loss, and can’t even begin to fathom life without her.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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