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Bryce Dallas Howard, first face of Kate Spade says, 'There's nothing more tragic'

Bryce Dallas Howard acutely understands the pain around the suicide death of designer Kate Spade earlier this month.

The "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" star was the first celebrity chosen to serve as brand ambassador for Spade's company in 2011.

She calls herself a lifelong fan who recalls wishing for one Spade's playful bags since she was a 15-year-old.

Although she never actually met Spade — "When I did my campaign, it was after she had sold the company. So I never interacted with her" — Howard feels for how difficult the designer's death at 55 is, especially on the family.

"It’s just so heartbreaking, so incredibly heartbreaking," Howard tells USA TODAY. "It’s so painful even as an outsider to imagine what they are going through. There’s nothing more tragic than a loss like this."

Howard also saw the deep impact the death had on Spade's devoted fans around the world, with names such as Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager and Mindy Kaling tweeting about the loss and remembering their first Kate Spade bag.

"I saw the notes in the days after her passing. It seemed like everyone had the same story, which was my story," says Howard. "That was my first purse. That was the purse I saved up for, that I was really excited about buying. My Kate Spade purse. I saw that thought again and again and again. Her brand and what she created was very meaningful."