Kate Spade

Who Was Kate Spade?

Kate Spade, an influential fashion designer and businesswoman, founded her eponymous line of handbags in 1993. Her innovative designs quickly gained popularity, leading to the expansion of her brand to include multiple retail outlets and distribution through prestigious high-end stores. In 2006, Spade sold her remaining shares in the company, yet she later returned to the fashion industry with the launch of a new brand. Tragically, Kate Spade was found deceased in her New York City apartment on June 5, 2018, in what was ruled an apparent suicide.

Early Years

Born Katherine Noel Brosnahan on December 24, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri, Kate Spade pursued a degree in journalism, graduating in 1985. She began her career at Mademoiselle magazine in New York City, where she spent five years honing her skills in fashion. During her tenure, she rose to the position of senior fashion editor and head of accessories, ultimately leaving the magazine in 1991 to channel her creativity into designing her own handbag line.

Fashion Success

Kate Spade leveraged her extensive knowledge and passion for accessories to establish her own brand of handbags in 1993. Shortly thereafter, she opened a boutique in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, quickly gaining recognition for her handbags, which were characterized by their modern, sleek designs, vibrant colors, and utilitarian shapes. With her husband joining as a partner, the business steadily expanded on an international scale.

Over the years, the company diversified its product offerings beyond its signature handbags, leading to the establishment of several retail outlets and the inclusion of its items in prestigious stores such as Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus. In 1996, Spade’s exceptional contributions to fashion were acknowledged by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which awarded her the title of “America’s New Fashion Talent in Accessories.”

Kate Spade’s brand continued to flourish, encompassing a wide range of products, including eyewear, footwear, and stationery, available in over 450 stores worldwide. Although the Spades sold the business to the Neiman Marcus Group in 1999, which later transitioned to Fifth & Pacific (formerly Liz Claiborne) in 2006, they remained actively involved with the brand they had nurtured. In 2004, Spade shared her insights on personal style and philosophy through three publications: Manners, Occasions, and Style. Two years later, she and her husband made the decision to sell the Kate Spade brand to focus more on parenting, simultaneously investing in Plum TV, a niche television network catering to elite vacation destinations like the Hamptons, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.

In 2016, the Spades, alongside their close friends Elyce Arons and shoe designer Paola Venturi, launched a new fashion venture, Frances Valentine. That same year saw the introduction of a Minnie Mouse-themed product line, which proved to be immensely popular, leading to a subsequent collection of Minnie purses, phone accessories, and jewelry in 2017.

Personal Life

In 1983, Spade met her future husband, Andy, while they were both students at Arizona State University, and they married in 1994. Andy Spade is the brother of actor and comedian David Spade. The couple welcomed their daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade, in February 2005.

Death

On June 5, 2018, Kate Spade was found deceased in her Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan, an apparent victim of suicide. The 55-year-old designer reportedly took her life by hanging herself with a scarf tied to a door, leaving behind a note for her daughter. In a statement to the New York Daily News, her family expressed their devastation over the tragedy.

The following day, her husband disclosed that Spade had been grappling with severe depression for the previous six years. He emphasized that she was actively seeking help and collaborating with her doctors to manage her mental health condition, which tragically affects too many lives. “There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock,” he stated.

Andy Spade also noted that while the couple had encountered challenges in their marriage and were living apart, he dismissed the notion that marital strife had led to her untimely death. “We were not legally separated, and we never even discussed divorce,” he clarified. “We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how.”