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Frances Valentine — a fashion label whose mood-boosting eclecticism and vintage-inspired silhouettes are considered the natural sequel to Kate Spade New York — was first launched in 2016 by best friends-slash-business partners Kate Spade and Elyce Arons. Today, it’s honoring the life and legacy of Spade (who tragically died by suicide almost exactly seven years ago) through the fresh release of the Easy Book Tote that’s just as color-happy and charming as the very creations that made her a household name. What’s more, during the month of June, 100 percent of the proceeds from the carryall will be donated to the Hope for Depression Research Foundation: whose mission, according to its site, is to fund neuroscience research into the origins, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of depression, which Spade struggled with.

The Frances Valentine Easy Book Tote is the type of canvas tote bag that will soon become an extension of your body as you carry it around all summer, from the beach to the bar, and into the colder months. Machine washable; pampered with an exclusive artwork of a dog resting on well-known novels; accentuated with snaps at the handles; and roomy enough to hold everything from your sunscreen to your tablet, journal, and hair brush, the tote also features one special, easy-to-miss detail. Propped against the canine’s hind legs is an illustrated replica of Elyce Arons’ newest book, “We Might Just Make It After All,” which captures with intimate honesty, wit, humor, and affection the decades-long friendship she had with Spade after first meeting at their University of Kansas dorm — one that served as the bedrock of the fashion empire they were able to build together in New York City. The memoir (already boasting a 4.34-star average on Goodreads) officially released today and can be found on Amazon.

Arons is still Frances Valentine’s CEO and the creative vision behind fashion offerings mirroring the chicness, playfulness, and femininity of the ones Kate Spade conceptualized in the form of designer handbags, which originally put her on the map and became a must-have for every last city-dwelling woman in the late ’90s and 2000s.

Kate Spade’s first business venture (which she undertook with Andy Spade, who later became her husband) hit the ground running in 1993 with a line of six handbags, to be exact. Previously working for the magazine Mademoiselle as a senior fashion editor and head of accessories, she banked on their affordability factor and sophisticated, grown-up look that avoided tacky garishness — a formula that instantly attracted her most devoted clientele, which was young American women (particularly those from New York). Soon, Kate Spade bags were flooding streets with their outward-facing logos and vibrant yet pared-back designs. According to a statement made by Anna Wintour upon Spade’s death, at one point you couldn’t walk a block in the Big Apple without seeing one of the bags, “which were just like her: colorful and unpretentious.”

Chief among these was the nylon Sam Tote Bag — which you can score on the Kate Spade New York site to this day — meant to merge utilitarian sensibilities with the kind of preppiness that’s only reflected in looks and not price tag. The boxy top-handle tote achieved absolute icon status as a rite-of-passage purchase fit for the next generation of shoppers with high standards. All other Kate Spade releases that followed, including shoes, jewelry, and clothing, were just as era-defining.

Once you order Arons’ poignant story of friendship, entrepreneurship, and untimely loss, be sure to shop Frances Valentine’s Easy Book Tote in the same breath: doing your part in commemorating Spade’s legacy, which continues to reverberate in the world of fashion to this day.

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Meet the Author

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, writing about all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on new product releases and has previously covered the buzzy Kate Spade New York x Target collaboration.