Ulta Beauty apologizes for ‘a very insensitive choice of words’ in email about Kate Spade

Ulta Beauty is apologizing after an email sent to customers about Kate Spade perfume has been called “tone deaf” and “insensitive.”

The email on Sunday said, “The NYC It Girl is Back. Come hang with Kate Spade.”

Spade, a fashion designer and businesswoman, died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 55. She was found hanging in her apartment by her husband.

The reaction on social media was swift and brutal.

• “Ulta Beauty messed up big time.”
• “I usually don’t comment on big companies. but I’m completely shocked at ulta beauty sending an email promo for kate spade products that said ‘come hang with kate spade’ when her cause of death was suicide by hanging. and during mental health awareness month of all times.”
• “Bad choice of words from Ulta.”
• “Ulta Beauty gives no care to the mental health community, Kate Spade or her family. Gross.”

Ulta Beauty issued this apology:

“In an email we recently sent featuring the kate spade new york brand of fragrances, a very insensitive choice of words was used and for that we are very sorry. We have the utmost respect for the kate spade brand and the joy it brings to beauty and fashion industries. At Ulta Beauty, our teams are human, and this was truly an error with no intent to do harm.

We’re keenly aware that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is a very serious and important issue in this country, and not something we would ever take lightly. We are working internally to ensure something like this never happens again.

To the Spade family, and to our kate spade brand partners, we’re deeply sorry – and to our guests, we apologize for this upsetting mistake. Simply put, this is below our standards.

Thank you for understanding as we strive to do better.”