Kate Spade, the iconic designer known for her chic and colorful handbags, passed away at 55 in an apparent suicide, leaving a profound impact on those who grew up with her brand as a status symbol in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Daphne Merkin's new collection of essays, "The Fame Lunches: On Wounded Icons, Money, Sex, the Bronts, and the Importance of Handbags," explores themes of meaning, self-awareness, materialism, and Jewish identity.