Once upon a time – shortly after I landed this columnist gig thing at the Kansas City Star – I met a charming, unassuming local who was on her way to changing the world…
It’s easy to look back on things that way now. To think of fashion designer Kate Spade as a force to be reckoned with. Right up there with larger-than-life celebrities like LeBron, Oprah – even Donald Trump.
But that wasn’t the Kate Brosnahan her friends and family here knew.
Kate was just a hard working, charismatic local girl who came home every holiday for Thanksgiving and stationed herself on the main floor inside the old Halls on the Plaza for a tedious afternoon of selling her stylish-but-simple, first generation nylon handbags to the handful of folks who either knew or happened onto her.
No big deal, and a far cry from the high fashion glam Spade would later come to epitomize.
That night a small gathering of friends and family connected at the Rockhill Club off the Plaza for an evening of clean cut debauchery, complete with some of the silliest, family friendly karaoke imaginable.
On an inexpensive, folding table by the club entry lay a collection of Spade’s nylon bag door prizes. The same bags sister Ann would call from time to time and tell me that some star like Madonna had been spotted carrying.
That’s how it was in the early days of Spade’s fashion career.
Years later I’d drop by Halls for a high dollar benefit/soiree after Kate had graduated to the store’s second floor. There it was the place to be for local fashionistas and style-oriented women of means and influence.
Ah, but Kate was still a Brosnahan, embracing my twin girls Liza and Savannah like any friend of the family might.
Now she’s gone, a likely victim of any number of truly sad influences.
And some of the most famous and influential women in the world are mourning Kate, celebrating her life and all that she accomplished. Yet under that veneer of fame and fortune, in many ways, Kate Spade was still just another regular girl from Kansas City.
Down to earth, loving and fun loving…and now very much missed.
So Sad….
nice article hearne. Knew the family. Sad. But this happens way to many times
in this nation. We have literally decimated the mental health industry in this
nation. It needs to be rebuilt. And fast!!!!!!!!
Again….nice article!
Of course you knew the family. You know all the famous people. NOT!
This is a story about a really great lady who made good in the
world. Unfortunately life is mean sometimes and takes the
good ones from us.
Knew her family from a girl i dated who went to st. teresas.
Sad story.
While you were writing your stupid line I was watching
a bball game that was great with 4 great friends.
You live a boring life. Move on rww.