Elyce Arons: Kate Spade’s Vintage Shopping Secrets & Fashion Tips
Elyce Arons Shares Fashion Advice from Kate Spade on Style and Role
Elyce Arons, co-founder and CEO of Frances Valentine, celebrated the release of her memoir, We Might Just Make It After All, which chronicles her friendship and business partnership with the late Kate Spade. Arons shared insights into the fashion advice she and Spade exchanged while building the Kate Spade brand.
Arons noted that their personal styles initially differed. Spade favored a more customary, preppy look, while arons leaned toward trend-driven styles.However, they blended their unique senses of fashion to create timeless outfits.
“It was fun to learn from each othre,” Arons said. “We truly found the most inspiration from vintage and really bonded over our love of vintage shopping and searching for treasures we both appreciated and could afford.”
Spade particularly loved colorful and joy-sparking pieces, whether vintage or new, and always valued excellent design and quality.Arons added, “We’d imagine the story behind each piece, and think about the woman who had owned it.”
Style icons such as Mary Tyler Moore, ali McGraw, Katharine Hepburn, and jackie Onassis influenced them.Later, celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Mindy Kaling, and Taylor Swift were seen with their designs.
“We loved when celebrities chose to carry our bags,but to us,it was the every-woman bag,” Arons explained. “Buying a Kate Spade bag became a rite of passage for so many young women entering the work force.”
Arons advises young people to start with vintage when developing their style. She suggests incorporating fun, colorful handbags, summer basket bags, kitten heels, Mary Jane flats, and layered costume jewellery.
According to Arons, wardrobe staples include a crisp white shirt, black cigarette pants, a swing coat, a trench coat or jacket in a fun print or color, well-fitting jeans, and a fabulous dress.
What’s next
Arons continues to lead Frances Valentine, honoring SpadeS legacy while offering timeless fashion pieces that emphasize quality and unique design.