It’s been two weeks since the shocking death of actress Kate Spade, and the world still hasn’t stopped mourning her loss. In that time, we’ve seen a number of celebrities express their grief publicly and/or privately, including Robert Pattinson, who is currently dating Spade’s best friend, Emily Ratajkowski. Though he has yet to comment publicly on the tragedy, we can assume that his feelings are still very much with Spade’s family and friends as he starts to process their loss. In the meantime, let’s take a look back at the movie star’s most dramatic days and weeks leading up to her death.
Rocking The Trend
Spade was first introduced to the public as the ‘American version’ of the famous ‘Rooney’ in ‘Wool’ (2019), opposite Logan Marshall-Green. The film follows the dysfunctional relationships of several 20th century Americans, and Spade’s character is loosely based on Katharine Hepburn. Her characteristically dainty outfits and pre-pubescent voice inflection made her something of a fashion icon during her lifetime, and she continued to be so even after her death. A photograph of Spade wearing one of her signature dresses in the ‘80s has been widely used as a meme in the wake of her death, and she remains one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood today.
The Breakup
Before ‘Wool,’ Spade had been dating producer Alex Schwartz for several years. The couple had an on-again, off-again relationship, and a source told The New York Times that they had been fighting a lot recently. The “Swingers” writer and director Andy Fickman recently revealed that after 15 years together, Schwartz finally decided to end it with Spade, and he wrote about their break-up in the January 2021 issue of Life & Style. Schwartz stated, “The great irony now is that Kate wanted to be alone. She was very much wanting this. She wasn’t ready to be in a relationship.”
Suicide Note
After years of being in and out of rehab for her addiction to painkillers and alcohol, Spade checked herself into a facility on January 22nd, two days before her death. A source told The New York Times that she was feeling “low” and “burnt out,” and she wanted to kill herself. According to TMZ, Spade was in such a deep depression that she contemplated using a weed killer on herself. Thankfully, she didn’t end up doing that, but she did leave a very bleak and horrifying suicide note, filled with dark and twisted things she felt about her life. In it, she also expressed her hatred for Logan Marshall-Green, her co-star from ‘Wool.’ Here’s a sample: “I will never feel anything but hatred for Logan. This is a message to the world to let them know that I am not interested in living.”
Grieving
Immediately after Spade’s death, Logan Marshall-Green posted a heartfelt message to Instagram, revealing that his ex-wife had committed suicide two years earlier and how he had been “the beneficiary of [his] pain” for most of their marriage. The actress Amanda Bynes also paid tribute to Spade, posting a black-and-white photograph of herself and the actress in front of the American flag. “Kate Spade was an inspiration to us all,” she wrote. “She will be missed dearly.” Most celebrities, however, have remained silent on social media in the wake of Spade’s death. It’s likely that they’re trying to process their loss and avoid further trauma.
More Than You Imagined
Even two weeks after Spade’s passing, her fame continues to be a shadow over her death. The most notable example is her boyfriend of 11 years, Alex “A.k.a. King Coobra” Schwartz. Despite his hatred of Spade and the public’s continued obsession with knowing more about the pair’s private life, Schwartz remains committed to his love for the fashion icon and even changed his last name to reflect how much he admired her. “I always wanted to be on a first name basis with Kate,” he said in an interview with Marie Claire in January 2021, “and even after all these years, I still think of her as ‘Katarina.’ For me to say her name is a way of treating her like my equal.” According to TMZ, Schwartz “adored” Spade, and he used to dress up like her as a child. It was also reported that he had secretly married her best friend, Emily Ratajkowski, two years earlier, in 2018. Though it was never confirmed, many believed that the couple were planning to wed after Spade’s death. Fortunately, they were able to keep the marriage a secret and continue to love each other privately. In the years to come, we may learn more about the relationship between the fashion icon and the producer, but for now, their love story will remain a secret.
The last we heard from Kate Spade, she was battling a broken heart and addiction. Whether she found the peace she was looking for or not, we will never know. What we do know is that her legacy will live on through her fashion, and the fact that she inspired so many people during her lifetime will help her to find her way to paradise. Though she left this world far too early, the world is a better place because of Kate Spade.