In an email sent Sunday, the chain wrote “Come hang with Kate Spade” promoting the brand’s line of perfumes. That prompted some subscribers to share the email on social media and ridicule Ulta for the subject line’s apparent connection to the designer’s death by suicide.
Spade was found dead by hanging at her Manhattan apartment in 2018. The creator of an accessible handbag line and other products, the 55-year-old designer suffered from anxiety and depression, her husband previously said.
“Ulta, you might need to speak to your marketing staff,” a Twitter user wrote. Another person added that this was “not the best word choice.”
The beauty company said it regretted the email.
“Ulta Beauty recently sent an email featuring Kate Spade New York Fragrance where a very insensitive choice of words was used by mistake. For this, we are deeply sorry,” the company said in a statement. “This was a mistake, does not reflect our values and we are taking steps to ensure it does not happen again.”
Ulta (ULTA) emailed its apology to customers who received the newsletter.
“It was certainly not reflective of the deep respect we have for Kate Spade, her family and the Kate Spade New York brand and brand teams,” the company said. “Mental health is a very serious issue and we apologize to the Spade family, our brand partners and our guests as this mistake may have implied otherwise. We are committed to doing better.”