William B. Kerr 
The sister of Kate Spade, Reta Saffo, opened up and talked about the tragedy that follows her family since Tuesday when the iconic fashion designer was found dead in her apartment on the Upper East Side in Manhattan.
According to Reta Brosnahan Saffo, her sister was the victim of a recurring depression for years but never admitted the need for treatment, because she was afraid what an admission to a medical institution would do to her otherwise positive public image.
The fashion designer’s sister claimed that she was not surprised by the suicide by any means. Saffo explained that Spade was very affectionate from a very young age and was positive that the stress surrounding the launching of her brand took its toll with time.
Apparently, Spade, who was born Katherine Brosnahan, was persuaded time and time again by her family to consider getting treatment over the course of the last three or four years, but the fashion icon denied to all of the requests, even those from people she trusted.
Saffo’s attempts to convince her sister to get treated were closest to success when Spade was almost accepted in the same institution which had famously successfully treated Catherine Zeta-Jones for her bipolar disorder in the past. Unfortunately, even though all the details with the treatment center were arranged in advance, Spade reportedly changed her mind at the last moment, expressing concerns at what people might think of her afterward.
Saffo also confessed that she was disturbed by the interest with which Spade followed the news surrounding the demise of the famous comic actor Robin Williams, who also hanged himself back in 2014. At the time, Saffo was already bothered that this could play a role in her sister’s mental condition.
The 57-year-old said she was threatened after she decided to talk about her sister’s battle with depression. She said some relatives want to cover up her problems.
