Elyce Arons, co-founder of Kate Spade and co-founder and CEO of Frances Valentine, will come to Charlotte on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 to address members of the Mint Museum Auxiliary and their guests in the annual Fall Enrichment Forum at the Mint Museum Uptown.
This signature event kicks off the new year of the Auxiliary’s Room To Bloom season, a series of gatherings and events which are a premiere fundraiser for The Mint Museum.
At the Fall Forum on 11/5, Ms. Arons will discuss her recently released memoir We Might Just Make It After All, which tells the story of her nearly 40-year friendship with Kate Spade, “Katy,” and their incredible journey together from college to business partners, and their success in building an iconic brand.
“When I sat down to write this memoir, I wanted to capture the essence of my relationship with Katy— the iconic designer and my lifelong best friend. Our friendship began long before the world knew her name, in the days of college fraternity parties and gritty life in New York City of the 80s and 90s. This book is about the roller coaster of adventures and misadventures that best friends share and the moments that shaped us as women, friends, and business partners.” – Elyce Arons
The presentation will be moderated by Charlottean Rachelle Wates, co-founder and CEO of Byrdie Golf Social Wear.
The event starts at 9:00 am at the Mint Uptown, with coffee and mingling, and ends at around 11:00 am after the presentation with a book signing by Elyce Arons ~ purchase your book in advance here or at the event for signing.
Tickets to the event are free for members of the Mint Museum Auxiliary, but registration is required HERE.
General admission tickets for non-members are $125 per person and are available at THIS LINK.
If you would like a ‘front row seat’ so to speak to this and all of the Mint Auxiliary’s Room to Bloom events, we recommend you consider joining in as a Patron or Benefactor. This will ensure your invites to all the events to come, starting with this Fall Forum and ending with the always-sold-out Room To Bloom Spring Symposium. These tickets are crazy-hard to get and this year’s speaker at the Spring Symposium will be Nate Berkus.
About The Mint Museum Auxiliary
The Auxiliary mission-generating funds support inspiring educational offerings for the community and significant acquisitions for the museum’s permanent collection. To date, the Auxiliary has donated more than $16,300,000 to The Mint Museum, including funds and acquisitions. Thanks to funds raised during the successful 2024-2025 year, the Mint Museum Auxiliary will continue to make significant contributions to exhibitions and other community offerings at The Mint Museum to include:
- General Learning and Engagement
- Wednesday Night Live free admission and special programming
- Grier Heights Community Youth Art Program
- School Tours
