………………..It is with the deepest most profound sadness that I have to report the passing of my dear friend……CONNIE FRANCIS CIOFFI”………..I met Connie, a young single girl, in 1984 when she came to my office to interview for the job of Donna and my Public Relations person……We hired her immediately…..Soon after we hired Connie, Donna left Anne Klein and went out on her own…..Donna asked Connie to join her at her new company……Connie had a big decision to make…..to leave Anne Klein and me, and go with Donna…….or to stay and work with me………..Connie chose me, and I was forever grateful!……We worked side by side from 1984 until 1993 when I left Anne Klein…….I grew to adore Connie….She was so much more than a Public Relations persons, though that was part of her duties. She was responsible for handling all of the fashion press, the magazine and newspaper fashion editors, and all of the special requests for interviews with me….She took care of all the celebrities who came up for clothes….Everyone loved Connie….She just had a kind, sweet, winning personality!….Connie became …”MY GIRL FRIDAY”, my right arm……..She was my personal assistant, and handled everything that came my way…..She was my GO BETWEEN, and sheltered me, and dealt with things that she felt weren’t important enough to bother me with……Connie just took CARE OF ME!…. She scheduled my days, and arranged trips. There were times when Connie even traveled with me for special events….I will always remember the time she accompanied me, Jac and Joe Stafiniak, my sales manager, to Hawaii for a charity trunk show for “Liberty House”. On one of our days off, I rented a car and I took them on a road trip…….”On the Road to Hanna”. It was a winding treacherous road all the way, driving on steep cliffs facing the ocean. We laughed all the way, stopping here and there to take pictures….When we reached the town of Hanna we all got T-shirts that said….”We survived the Road to Hanna”……This photo was taken at the end of a two week photo shoot for my Resort 1991 Look Book….If you haven’t guessed that’s Connie in front of me in the yellow T, with my hand on her shoulder……Connie orchestrated the whole thing….booking the models, the photographer, the hair and makeup people, transportation, and booking a lovely Bed & Breakfast in the Hamptons….She made sure everything flowed smoothly, and if anything should occur, she handled it with aplomb….Connie did this for every show I ever had……Connie was totally LOYAL to me, and always had my back!…..I depended on Connie for everything, and she was more than capable of facing any challenge!…..I watched Connie get married to her love, John Cioffi, and they were married for 30 plus years… Besides their apartment in the city, they had a home in Vermont where Connie had rescue horses. When John retired many years ago, they moved to Florida….With time and distance we lost touch, but I have thought and spoken about Connie with mutual friends many times……..I was shocked when her husband reached out to me to tell me of Connie’s passing, and her battle with cancer for several years…..No one knew she was sick, and knowing Connie, I’m sure that’s just how she wanted it………I said it before, and I’ll say it again……I adored Connie…..and this world is a lesser place without her in it……It is with a very sorrowful, heavy heart…….I say…….rest in peace……my Dear Sweet Connie.