This post first appeared on Instyle
Shortly after Kate Spade was pronounced dead on Tuesday of an apparent suicide in New York, fans of her eponymous brand took to social media to pay tribute to the late designer, recognizing her work and the impact she left on the American fashion industry.
In the following hours, the designer’s most loyal fans also proved their love for Spade in the one way they know best: buying her products. Shoppers flocked to Frances Valentine—the brand she created in 2016—in hopes of getting their hands on the items she created last.
As of Wednesday morning, nearly every one of the 64 pieces in the Frances Valentine “New Arrivals” section of the website had sold out, with only strappy metallic sandals ($345; francesvalentine.com) available for pre-order. The hard-to-get accessories include two-tone canvas totes, whicker handbags (a favorite of the late Spade’s), and turquoise-tinted jewels. Alternatively, you can find more Frances Valentine designs at shopbop.com.
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Though she no longer has a stake in her namesake brand (she sold her share of the brand in 2007), Frances Valentine is a similar accessories company featuring Spade’s signature, poppy and feminine aesthetic. The brand had never disclosed its profits, however in the 2 years since its launch, it has not gained quite as much steam as her first label. It appears that may change in the wake of her death.
“My grandfather, father, brother, and my daughter’s name is Frances. And then Valentine was my mom’s dad’s middle name because he was born on Valentine’s day,” she told WWD in November 2015 of how she named the brand. She also changed her name to Kate Valentine in 2016 to avoid confusion with her namesake label.
