Eight days ago the fashion world mourned the loss of style icon Kate Spade. 

I still covet my roomy, elegant Kate Spade cowhide black bag and my tortoiseshell reading glasses.  What makes my bag standout is what’s on the inside – the lining has all red + pink polka dots.  It makes me smile and it’s the real reason why I bought it.  Because there are, let’s face it, so many black leather bags on the market.

And it was always the fun little touches that set her bags apart from the rest.  Not only polka dots, but butterflies, bows, strawberries and the like.

Kate Spade was an original and when she sold her company her handbags still had the recognizable KS touch that made them stand out .  You have to wonder why anyone who put so much thought into creating fun, whimsical designs would choose to take her own life leaving a young daughter behind.

There’s still so much we don’t know about deep depression.  There are so many layers beneath the surface.  Just because someone looks a certain way on the outside doesn’t mean they’re not suffering on the inside.  How very sad that we seem to be hearing about people taking their own life more regularly.  We hear about the famous people, not the countless others who also suffer from this crippling disease. With the right help suicide is preventable.

If you, or someone you know suffers from depression please Google the centre for disease control to find the contract in your city .

The Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

Kate Spade’s Sparkle will live on in her eponymous brand.