I’m not sure how many of you know this but The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s, Rachel Brosnahan, was designer Kate Spade’s niece. Rachel’s father was Kate’s brother. When Kate died last year, Rachel posted this lovely tribute to her:

View this post on Instagram

Knowing Katy, this is how she would want to be remembered. She had a light that words can’t capture but touched everyone she came into contact with. She was exceedingly kind, beautifully sensitive, insanely talented, funny as heck and one of the most generous people I have ever known. She was effervescent. Hug your loved ones extra tight today.

A post shared by Rachel Brosnahan (@rachelbrosnahan) on Jun 6, 2018 at 4:32am PDT

Since selling her eponymous brand in 2006, Kate Spade had relaunched a new brand, Frances Valentine, with her best friend, Elyce Arons. Elyce, and Rachel are working together to pay tribute to Kate with a new line, Love, Katy. And one way they are doing so is by having the award-winning, white-hot -in-Hollywood Rachel be the face for the campaign. During their interview on Today, Hoda Kotb asked Rachel what she’s lost the day Kate died:

One of the closest members of our family certainly and as I said, one of the kindest and most generous people I ever had the privilege of knowing. We were so touched hearing in the wake of this unthinkable tragedy that we all experienced together, how many other people had been touched either by her personally, by her work, by her designs. It was something that really meant a lot to us and still does.

It’s clear both Elyce and Rachel are hurting, understandably as it’s only be seven months. Elyce and Hoda discuss that pang you get when you reach for the phone to call someone and remember they aren’t there to answer. That part gave me a lump in my chest. Rachel also gave an exclusive interview to People to promote Love, Katy and gave some more thoughts on why it’s important to her.

When you lose someone you love very, very much, you spend a lot of time trying to think about how to keep their spirit alive. There is so much of her left behind and this was an opportunity for us to celebrate her life and her legacy, In the wake of Katy’s passing, my family and I were so overwhelmed and encouraged by the love and support we received from those who were touched by Katy’s work, many of whom were strangers from around the world,” she told us. “When you lose someone you love, you search for boundless ways to keep their memory alive. This felt like a way to do that through her beautiful creations and an opportunity to share them with all of those who her work meant so much to.

[From People]

In the Today segment, Hoda made the same point CB did in the site’s Kate Spade tribute: that so many of us owned her bags, we felt like we knew her. But reflecting on what Rachel told People about trying to keep the person’s spirit alive, I think this new line is perfect. Elyce said the line was “modern classic,” and it was everything people loved about Kate and everything Kate loved to design – bold colors and classic styling. I like the poetry of keeping Kate’s spirit alive by reimagining those products that made us fall in love with her in the first place. The website doesn’t have many of the photos with Rachel, but the next issue of People will. The photos are great, Rachel is wonderful in them.

View this post on Instagram

So very happy to share our Spring 19 campaign with the truly marvelous Rachel Brosnahan ? See the full look book – link in bio.

A post shared by Frances Valentine (@fvalentineny) on Jan 30, 2019 at 5:43am PST

Embed from Getty Images

Photo credit: Instagram, YouTube, Getty Images and WENN Photos