We Might Just Make It After All - by Elyce Arons (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A moving portrait of female friendship by Elyce Arons as she reflects on her long relationship with fashion icon Kate Spade, whom she met in college and with whom she cofounded the multi-billion-dollar designer handbag brand that helped define 1990s New York fashion.

When Elyce Arons first met Katy Brosnahan in a University of Kansas dorm room, she had no idea that this polo shirt-wearing Missouri girl would not only become her best friend but also change the course of her life. Back then, Katy and Elyce were preoccupied with frat parties and The Mary Tyler Moore Show; within a decade, they'd be scraping by in downtown New York City, working day jobs to spend nights building a new line of handbags that would one day revolutionize the accessories industry.

We Might Just Make It After All brings us on the roller coaster of adventures (and misadventures) that the best friends embarked on, from transferring colleges on a whim, to falling in and out of love with suitors, cramming into roach-infested Hell's Kitchen apartments, and eventually designing the chic, simple Kate Spade bag that would launch the pair to global fame. Through it all, Katy and Elyce's powerful friendship remained unshakeable. It lasted nearly forty years, until Katy's tragic suicide in 2018. We Might Just Make It After All celebrates her legacy as a cultural icon and loyal friend.

Set against the glitzy and gritty backdrop of SoHo, Tribeca, and the Garment District at the turn of the 21st century, We Might Just Make It After All lovingly and candidly explores the power of a friendship as close as sisterhood, the challenges facing women entrepreneurs in the 1990s, the evolution of the fashion industry, and the timeless elegance of a generation-defining brand.

Review Quotes

"I met Kate on a magazine shoot when I was a young makeup artist and she was just starting as a fashion assistant at Mademoiselle. This beautiful book captures not only Elyce and Katy's close friendship, but brings me back to those rough and tumble days of the eighties and nineties when we were all trying to make our way in New York City. Elyce's memory is spot on, the perfect combination of gritty and sweet, with a true behind the scenes view. I friggin' loved this book!"
-Bobbi Brown, founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

"This book is not only a deep dive into what it really takes to persevere and achieve hard-earned success as female entrepreneurs, but it is also a beautiful portrayal of the complexities of female friendship and the joy, the struggle and power of a deep connection between two unique women. Elyce's storytelling and relatable characters made me laugh, cry, and reflect on my own friendships. At its core, the book explores profound love and loss, and the story will stay with you long after you turn the last page. I could not put it down."
-Brooke Shields, New York Times bestselling author of Down Came the Rain and There Was a Little Girl

About the Author

Elyce Arons is the cofounder of Kate Spade and cofounder and CEO of Frances Valentine. Arons began her career in publicity and marketing before starting the multi-billion-dollar bag company Kate Spade alongside Katy; Katy's husband, Andy; and Pamela Bell out of a downtown New York City apartment. Arons lives in New York with her husband and three daughters.