The 55-year-old fashion designer was found dead in her apartment in New York earlier this week in an apparent suicide and, although her passing came as a shock to many, her friends had started to realise something wasnโt quite right beforehand.
A source told โEntertainment Tonightโ: โKate definitely seemed to distance herself recently and her family was worried about her.
โShe ventured out less and less and some friends began to wonder what was wrong. People who were used to hanging out socially with her started to worry about her because she was nowhere to be seen.
โKateโs suicide has been extremely heartbreaking and has left some friends confused because she kept a happy persona in public for so long. But those that knew her well, knew she suffered for years with depression.โ
Although those close to her had known about her battle with depression, Kate tried desperately to hide it from the public for fear of it ruining her fashion brand.
The insider explained: โShe truly cared about her brand and didnโt want the public to know of her pain. Kateโs suicide has made some friends question what they could have done to change the horrific outcome. She definitely hid the truth of her intense suffering from so many friends, and in turn they had no idea she needed help.โ
Friends and family are now trying to rally around Kateโs 13-year-old daughter Frances, whom she had with her husband Andy Spade, following her death.
The source said: โRight now we are all looking for answers and are so worried for her young daughter.
โKate loved her daughter so much, but clearly couldnโt endure the pain any longer.โ
Kate โ who was living separately from her husband at the time of her death โ left a suicide note and reportedly mentioned how it wasnโt Francesโ โfault.โ
