kate ♠️ spade (TM)

She took her own life and left behind a 13-year-old daughter because her husband wanted a divorce. Suffering from bipolar disease and depression, she was reportedly afraid to ask for help because it might tarnish her brand.

Kate was far more than a brand. She was a daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend, a leader, an entrepreneur, a girl-boss, a go-getter, and many other things. However, even she distilled herself down to a brand. An image. What people would think.

We have placed far too high a value on image, and the cost is peoples’ lives. Why are we afraid to talk about our struggles? Why are we ashamed to feel vulnerable, to ask for help when we need it? To let people know that we are struggling to keep it together? Because the world has told us that it is weak to need others, and that a curated image is more important than being truly known. That we just have to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and deal with it. We feel so isolated, like everyone else has it all together and we are the lone wolf.

Somehow, what people think of us (our self/brand image) has started to matter more than being healthy for ourselves and the ones we love. Let’s all learn a lesson from Kate’s tragedy. She certainly will be remembered as a brilliant designer. But what matters more is that her family must mourn the loss of her life, her love, her kindness, and her bright light because she didn’t want to dim an image. I guarantee her daughter would rather have her mom than to inherit a savvy brand. In the end, all we have is God and each other. Nothing else matters.

Be good to yourself. Forget your image. Please reach out if you struggle with depression, anxiety, or just feel alone. You are never alone. Give the people in your life the chance to show you that YOU matter to them. Not your image.

In loving memory of Kate Spade,

Amanda