Walter McBride/Getty ImagesIt's been just over a year since the world lost Kate Spade. On Thursday, Andy Spade took to Instagram to pay tribute to his late wife.
In the touching post, the fashion designer's spouse shared a picture of a Christmas tree—a likely nod to Kate's Dec. 24 birthday—and revealed he had planted it with their daughter Frances Beatrix Spade ("Bea" for short).
"Dear Katy, this tree is for you," he began. "Bea and [I] are planting it outside of our big window to keep your magical spirit and energy close to us [every day]. It will bless our new home in California and radiate your essence 365 days a year. You were illumines and we feel your presence wherever we go."
Andy then expressed his gratitude for Kate and "all of the wonderful gifts" she had given him over the years.
"For your beauty, intelligence and grace under pressure. For your boundless generosity, unflappable honesty and kindness to all living things. For your strength, courage and conviction to your ideals. For your belief in me and so many others. For your infectious laughter and sharp wit," he continued.
He also reflected on the lessons he learned from his wife and the relationship they built together.
"There was never a dull moment with you," he continued. "Through the peaks and valleys and alleyways we serpentined through together, you were always there. We grew up together, helped raise one another yet vowed to retain our innocence as best we could. You taught me that modesty is always the best policy, to see the good in everyone and to stand up for the crazy and less fortunate. You hated hype and loved the humble. You called me out on my bulls--t yet were nonjudgmental. You talked straight and let me know when I was…being cynical or sarcastic. You were my best friend, my confidant, my partner in life, business and mischief. The ying to my yang and the zig to my zag. We played ping pong with ideas. Our shared passion for The Golden Rule, Kipling's 'If,' Strunk and White, Atticus Finch and millions other things bound us together like superglue. You were and still are my Superwoman."
Near the end of the post, Andy wrote about the impact Kate had on so many people's lives.
"I hope you know how many people you inspired through the example you set in the way you lived and the work you created," he added. "You were and still are my favorite poem. I can't tell you how grateful I am for all you have given me and so many others. May your bright, multicolored spirit shine down on us [every day]. Heaven is lucky to have you but please know you are truly missed by us still here on earth. Love, Andy."
This wasn't the first time Andy had paid tribute to his spouse. Back in July, he posted another picture of a Christmas tree and wrote about how he decorated it with his daughter in Kate's honor.
He also wasn't the only one to remember the late designer around the anniversary of her death. Kate's niece Rachel Brosnahan, who is now the face of the designer's brand Frances Valentine, and her brother-in-law David Spade also posted tributes on Instagram.
"Missing Katy B today," the actress wrote, referencing Kate's birth name Kate Brosnahan.
Kate was found unconscious and unresponsive in her New York apartment on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. She was 55 years old. The Medical Examiner's Office later ruled her death suicide by hanging.
In a statement to E! News, Andy revealed she had "suffered from anxiety and depression for many years" and had been "actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease." He also called her death a "complete shock."
"Kate was the most beautiful woman in the world," he stated at the time. "She was the kindest person I've ever known and my best friend for 35 years. My daughter and I are devastated by her loss, and can't even begin to fathom life without her. We are deeply heartbroken and miss her already."
The fashion icon was laid to rest in her hometown of Kansas City, Mo.
After her death, her eponymous brand, which she confounded with Andy and later sold, pledged to donate more than $1 million to suicide prevention and mental health causes. The company revealed the grantees of this initiative on Thursday.