Lynn Ban dies at 51: the Bling Empire: New York star and jewellery designer had emergency brain surgery after a skiing accident

Jan 23 , 2025

Lynn Ban attends as Netflix and Michael Kors launch “Bling Empire: New York” at House of Red Pearl on Jan. 18, 2023, in New York. Photo: Getty Images

Known for her bold pieces worn by stars like Rihanna and Beyoncé, Ban is survived by her son Sebastian, who left a heartfelt tribute to his late mother on her Instagram account

Lynn Ban, the jewellery designer who worked with stars including Rihanna and Beyoncé and starred in Netflix’s Bling Empire: New York, has died.

Ban died Monday, her son Sebastian announced Wednesday in a moving Instagram statement. She died weeks after she underwent emergency brain surgery after a skiing accident in December. She was 51.

Lynn Ban with her son Sebastian, shared January 22. Photo: @lynn_ban/Instagram

“She was and always will be my best friend, the best mother to me, and someone who cared for all. She always had a smile on her face even when times were tough during her recovery process,” Sebastian wrote. “She was a fighter until the end and is the strongest woman I know.”

Ban, her son continued, “was the funniest and coolest mum” who devoted herself to caring for her loved ones including husband and business partner Jett Kain. Kain did not immediately respond to request for comment.

A Singapore native, Ban was born to real estate development executive David Ban and gemologist Patricia Ban. She gained notoriety for the eponymous line of bold jewellery that she established in 2011. In the following years, high-profile stars including Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar and Madonna sported Ban’s pieces. Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion were also among the stars wearing Ban’s designs.

Singer Rihanna models Lynn Ban jewellery in June 2018. Photo: @lynn_ban/Instagram

“Lynn, you will always be our fairy godmother! Love you forever and always,” Rihanna commented on Wednesday’s post. “Can’t believe I’m writing this in a comment section [right now]! Thank you for all the joy you brought to us!”

Drag star and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Aquaria also paid tribute Wednesday: “Lynn’s stylish journeys throughout the world would always bring me so much joy and inspiration to dare to dream.”

Ban’s jewellery and out-there personal style earned her more than just a roster of loyal, A-list clientele. It made her a reality TV star. She made her Bling Empire: New York debut in January 2023. The series premiered on Netflix and was a spin-off of the Los Angeles-based Bling Empire. The New York cast starred Ban, Dorothy Wang, Tina Leung, Blake Abbie, Stephen Hung, Deborah Valdez-Hung, Richard Chang and Vika Abby. Netflix cancelled both Bling Empire series in 2023.

On Wednesday, Ban’s co-star Wang wrote in an Instagram Story, “It has been terribly hard trying to think of anything happy or positive to share today.”