This past weekend, Ulta Beauty’s email mailing list received a shocking email regarding fashion designer Kate Spade. The beauty company was trying to promote a Kate Spade perfume, but the attempt backfired after some careless wording.
Ulta has since apologized for its mistake, but fans aren’t sure if it was a mistake or done on purpose. Many were outraged by the email and hit back at the beauty company.
However, not everyone received the email or read it, and people are curious about what the major beauty company could have said that garnered so much backlash from its patrons.
What did Ulta say about Kate Spade?
The email from Ulta appears innocent on the surface until viewers recall who the email is about.
The email contains an image of a Kate Spade perfume bottle surrounded by blueberries, flowers, and other items, seemingly describing the perfume’s scent. However, the subject line seemed sinister to many viewers.
The subject read, “Come hang with Kate Spade,” a statement that is tone-deaf to Kate Spade’s death, as she died by suicide in a hanging.
One Twitter user shared a screenshot of the email and wrote, “I cannot believe I got this email today. Is this some kind of sick joke? How insensitive and absolutely tone deaf. Apparently nobody in marketing at Ulta remembers how Kate Spade died. Disgusting.”
Twitter reacts to Ulta’s Kate Spade email
Other users chimed in, sharing similar sentiments that the email was shocking to see and incredibly tone-deaf. One user shared the email and wrote, “ULTA Is wrong for this…. Kate Spade literally died from hanging herself…”
Other users brought up that it’s Mental Health Awareness Month and called Ulta out for their carelessness, while another user shared their thoughts that it was an honest mistake.
One wrote, “Whoever wrote the incredibly crass email headline at Ulta for the Kate Spade event yesterday also managed to do it on the first day of Mental Health Awareness Month. An ignominious start by demonstrating the carelessness people tend to have around this topic.”
Another user mused, “sorry i really doubt someone who writes up emails for ulta was like ‘i know how kate spade killed herself and i’m gonna make a joke about it in a promotional email’ like i know some people are that cruel but i think y’all just tend to believe the worst.”
Regardless of the intent of the email, Ulta representatives apologized for the mistake. An apology quoted from the New York Post reads, “Ulta Beauty recently sent an email featuring Kate Spade New York fragrance with an insensitive subject line, and for this, we sincerely apologize. Mental health is a very serious, important issue in this country, and not something we would ever take lightly. We apologize to the Spade family, our Kate Spade New York brand partners, and to our guests. Thank you for understanding as we strive to do better.”
After the Ulta email went viral, some viewers were curious to know more about Kate Spade’s death.
When did Kate Spade die?
Kate Spade passed away in 2018 after a long battle with depression.
At the time of her passing, her husband Andy Spade released a statement saying, “Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before, and she sounded happy. There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.