– Fashion legacy. What does it take to create one of the most iconic and enduring brands in American fashion? For Elyce Arons, it took an unshakeable work ethic, a best friendship with one of fashion’s ultimate tastemakers, and a little bit of kismet.
Now the CEO of Frances Valentine, a colorful luxury handbag and fashion brand, Arons first came to prominence in the industry after cofounding Kate Spade with Pamela Bell, Andy Spade, and the company’s namesake and Arons’s aforementioned best friend, Katy. Arons reflects on meeting Katy in their dorm at the University of Kansas, the start of both of their careers in New York in the late 1980s, launching Kate Spade, and much more in her new memoir, We Might Just Make It After All, published this week.
Courtesy of Elyce Arons and Frances Valentine
Of course, Arons’s book also addresses Spade’s tragic death in 2018, a loss that sent the fashion world reeling and still reverberates throughout Arons’s life (the duo also cofounded Frances Valentine together). But it is a credit to Arons’s writing, and the lives both women led, that her book is focused on the humor, risk-taking, and beauty at the heart of the story of the fledgling artists and entrepreneurs striking out on their own. Readers will learn about all of the work that went into creating the multibillion-dollar company; the ups and downs, the disagreements and the serendipity. And they’ll gain a fuller picture of the Katy behind Kate Spade: the introvert, the genius, and the best friend.
“I want her legacy to be remembered in this beautiful, positive way, because she was an amazing person,” Arons told me in a Zoom interview last month.
Beyond the personal relationships detailed, Arons’s book also made me nostalgic for the New York of the 1990s and early 2000s, when a group of friends with a little industry know-how, a wealth of creativity, and a ton of moxie could create one of the most well-known and regarded brands in fashion. New York was gritty, Arons writes, but it was teeming with magic and possibility for countless people—exactly what their brand epitomized. A Kate Spade bag was more affordable than other luxury brands, but still tasteful and chic. It became many young professionals’ first big purchase, “a rite of passage for generations of women,” a symbol of independence. Exactly what you’d expect from women like Arons and Spade.
One of Kate Spade the company’s early keys to success, Arons writes, is that the team tried to create a welcoming environment and only hire people they enjoyed being around. She finds that advice still holds true as the boss of another company, while telling recent grads—and more recently, her own daughters as they’ve entered the workforce—to get to work early and stay late. Both employees and employers should feel that they are contributing to the whole and be proud of the company they’re working for, she says.
“You’re spending most of your time at your job, yeah? It should be fun, and it should be pleasant, and you shouldn’t feel bad about your job, or making a mistake,” Arons told me. “Just do your best. People don’t care if you don’t know how to do something, but learn how to get it done.”
Alicia Adamczyk
alicia.adamczyk@fortune.com
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Today’s edition was curated by Nina Ajemian. Subscribe here.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
– Reproductive rights. In a landmark decision, abortion was decriminalized in England and Wales yesterday. Now, women will largely be protected from prosecution if they have an abortion after 24 weeks, the previous legal limit. New York Times
– Lost ground. JetBlue is planning to reduce flights as it cuts costs, with a breakeven operating margin this year now looking “unlikely.” While CEO Joanna Geraghty hopes the airline will see travel demand bounce back, she said that “even a recovery won’t fully offset the ground we’ve lost this year.” Reuters
– Rise in renters. Jennifer Hyman’s clothing rental company Rent the Runway has seen its active-subscriber numbers bounce back after hitting a multiyear low earlier in 2025. With 147,000 active subscribers, numbers are up almost 23% from the previous quarter. Wall Street Journal
– Coffee costs. Cristina Scocchia, CEO of Italian coffee company Illy, said, “It’s been a difficult time for the coffee market.” Coffee beans cost more than double what they did four years ago, but the roaster expects prices will continue to drop. Bloomberg
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Sightview, which provides eyecare providers with electronic health record and practice management solutions, named Tycene Fritcher CEO. Previously, she was chief growth officer, SVP of sales, CMO at Outcomes.
Explore Learning, a tutoring services provider in the U.K., appointed Lisa Haycox as CEO. Most recently, she was the company’s COO.
UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business named Jennifer Chatman dean. She has been serving as the school’s interim dean.
ON MY RADAR
Lisa Murkowski says ‘it’s dangerous for us in the legislative branch’ New York Times
The aisle-prowling Albertsons CEO taking on Kroger Wall Street Journal
‘She’s not a girl’s girl’ Vox
PARTING WORDS
“When the world gets hard, or when it’s good—especially when it’s good, like today — by yourself, with people you love, with strangers, always take the time to dance it out!”
— Grey’s Anatomy star Sandra Oh’s advice to Dartmouth College graduates
