Kate Spade brand co-founders stitch fashion legacy into Cronkite Alumni Hall of Fame
From left: Andy Spade, husband of the late Kate Spade, and Elyce Arons speak during a Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication event inducting Arons and Kate Spade into the Cronkite School Alumni Hall of Fame. Photo by Micah Rind/Cronkite School
From Mary Tyler Moore dreams to runway success, iconic fashion designers Elyce Arons and the late Kate Spade are the newest members of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni Hall of Fame.
Arons and Spade's widower, Andy Spade, accepted the honor on Tuesday, March 3, during a ceremony and reception on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus.
“Through Kate Spade, Kate built more than a company," Andy Spade said at the ceremony. "She built a voice grounded in creativity, optimism and storytelling. I’m deeply honored to accept this award from the Cronkite School on her behalf. She would be so proud.”
“She was the most creative, joyful person, and I was so surprised and really honored to receive this award alongside her,” Arons said. “She was the best friend ever, and I’m happy to celebrate her and the Cronkite School.”
Kate Spade and Arons are the creative forces behind and co-founders of the Kate Spade brand, which they launched in 1993.
Both earned bachelor’s degrees from ASU and went on to develop the idea for the business along with Andy Spade. In 2016, the three launched Frances Valentine, a new brand that expanded their love of color, humor and design.
At the induction event, Arons shared how being inspired by Mary Tyler Moore turned into a full-circle moment for her.
“I was first inspired to pursue journalism by the Mary Tyler Moore Show, and my time at ASU continued that journey,” Arons said. “Where it all started with Mary, encouraging me to go into journalism, and now with the Mary Tyler Moore Foundation reaching out to collaborate on a project, it’s just amazing.”
Later this year, the Frances Valentine label will launch a special collection inspired by clothes and the iconic beret Moore famously wore on the television show.
Arons also offered advice to students looking to find the intersection between communications and their passions.
“I just happened to start working in the fashion business with my journalism degree as a public relations assistant,” Arons said. “Find a company that you really admire, work really hard for them, learn everything you possibly can, and you will grow within that organization.”
Previous Alumni Hall of Fame inductees include NBC News Correspondent Vaughn Hillyard; TV news anchors Kelly McCullough, Robert Petty and Katie Raml; newspaper journalists Marie Dillon and Mark Flatten; and charter inductees Al Michaels and Bill Redeker.
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