Noted jewelry designer and “Bling Empire: New York” personality, Lynn Ban, passed away on January 20, 2025, at 2:15 PM. She succumbed at Aspen Valley Hospital in Aspen, Colorado, following a traumatic brain injury incurred during a family ski trip. Ban was 52 at the time of her demise.
Sebastian, Ban’s son, confirmed her passing via Instagram. In his post, Sebastian wrote: “My mum passed away on Monday. I know she wanted to share her journey after her accident and brain surgery, so I thought she would appreciate one last post sharing the news to people who supported her.” He further added, “She was a fighter until the end and is the strongest woman I know. She was the funniest and coolest mum I could ever ask for. She took care of me, my dad, and our entire family throughout her whole life.”
The incident that led to Ban’s injury happened on December 24, 2024, at Aspen Mountain. In an Instagram post dated December 30, Ban explained: “At the top of the mountain, I caught a tip and face planted.” After an initial on-site examination by ski patrol paramedics for a concussion, she later exhibited severe symptoms. “I went in a taxi with Jett [Kain, her husband] and within 30 minutes they told us I had a brain bleed and needed to be airlifted to the trauma hospital.”
Emergency craniotomy surgery was conducted on Ban at the trauma center on December 24. The initial recovery period saw optimism from her medical team, but complications developed in mid-January. Her last public update on December 30 read, “Last thing I remember was being intubated and waking up after an emergency craniotomy with Jett by my side.”
Born and raised in Singapore, Ban attended New York University’s Stern School of Business and Parsons School of Design. She developed a jewelry empire renowned for its gothic aesthetic and architectural designs. Her signature collections included the Armor Series, featuring sterling silver pieces with black rhodium plating, and the Pavé Coil rings Madonna wore during her 2023 Celebration Tour.
Following her graduation from NYU in 1992, Ban opened Genki, a vintage couture boutique in the SoHo district of New York. The boutique, specializing in Versace and Chanel pieces from the 70s and 80s, operated until 2011. Ban then started Lynn Ban Jewelry, producing dramatic pieces that attracted stylists and celebrities.
Ban’s designs, priced between $300 and $25,000, drew a high-profile clientele. Pieces from her collection adorned Lady Gaga during her 2017 Super Bowl performance, and Beyoncé featured her jewelry in the “Formation” music video. Moreover, Rihanna wore Ban’s designs in over 20 magazine editorials from 2012 to 2024.
By 2024, Ban’s enterprise had grown to include showrooms in New York, London, and Paris. Luxury retailers like Barneys New York, Dover Street Market, and Harvey Nichols featured her collections. In November 2024, she announced plans to open a flagship store at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore in 2025.
Ban’s personal and professional life with husband and business partner Jett Kain was highlighted in Netflix’s “Bling Empire: New York,” which premiered in January 2023. The series showcased their Manhattan penthouse and Ban’s million-dollar vintage fashion collection. Although Netflix discontinued the show in March 2023, Ban started filming a documentary about her jewelry business in October 2024.
Ban’s passing represents the second loss for the “Bling Empire” series, with Anna Shay’s passing occurring in June 2023.