June Ambrose Slammed for Asking If Late Designer Kate Spade Was Attending CFDA Awards
Costume designer and stylist June Ambrose is facing backlash for an insensitive flub she made while hosting the CFDA Awards red carpet at the Brooklyn Museum Monday night.
During an interview with influencer and entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman, who attended the CFDA Awards alongside Kate Spade New York creative director Nicola Glass and wore a dress by the label, Ambrose asked if the late designer Kate Spade would be joining her, and then proceeded to ask Bronfman if Spade skipped by them on the carpet.
“I’m here with the Kate Spade New York team,” Bronfman replied after Ambrose asked multiple times if Spade was there and looked around the red carpet for the designer, seemingly unaware that Spade died last year. The exchange can be seen at the 1 hour and 22 minute mark in the clip below.
Spade died by suicide at the age of 55 in June 2018. The designer left her namesake fashion empire in 2006 before starting her new accessories label Frances Valentine in 2016. Designer Nicola Glass is currently the creative director for Kate Spade New York and dressed Bronfman, Booksmart stars Beanie Feldstein and Molly Gordon and Stranger Things star Sadie Sink for tonight’s CFDA Awards.
A post shared by kate spade new york (@katespadeny) on Jun 3, 2019 at 5:58pm PDT
The internet quickly called out Ambrose for her on-air flub and insensitive remarks.
RELATED PHOTOS: Kate Spade’s Celebrity Fans and Most Memorable Pop Culture Moments
“Why did the host at @cfda just ask someone if Kate Spade was there?!!!? Insensitive af. Wow,” one person tweeted.
Someone else said: “This girl is hosting the CFDA live stream needs to be fired. How do you not know kate spade passed away like whattttt and she knows nothing about these people.”
Why did the host at @cfda just ask someone if Kate Spade was there?!!!?
Insensitive af. Wow.— Corey Hobbs (@chobberoni) June 3, 2019
This girl is hosting the CFDA live stream needs to be fired. How do you not know kate spade passed away like whattttt and she knows nothing about these people
— Jackie (@jacqueline_frye) June 3, 2019
June asked Hannah if Kate Spade was coming to the #CFDAAwards - Maybe it slipped her mind in the moment......... pic.twitter.com/pMxuODBq4H
— Shelby Ivey Christie (@bronze_bombSHEL) June 4, 2019
Another tweet directed to Ambrose reads, “did you just ask Hannah if Kate Spade was present? What were you thinking!? #CFDAAwards.”
@juneAmbrose did you just ask Hannah if Kate Spade was present? What were you thinking!? #CFDAAwards
— Ma'urice (@MCQUEENISMYPAPI) June 3, 2019
On the CFDA Awards Facebook live stream, one viewer said, “Does she not realize Kate Spade has passed.”
PEOPLE has reached out Ambrose’s rep and the CFDA team for comment.
Ambrose has not commented directly of the mistake but appeared to acknowledge it during her signoff.
“It has been my honor and pleasure to host, screw up and cause chaos tonight on this carpet for you,” she said at the end of her red carpet hosting duties. “I hope you enjoyed and learned as much as I did.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273- TALK (8255), text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
