Kate Spade is the Co-founder of the famous design house ‘Kate Spade New York’, Kate Spade was found dead in her apartment on June 5, 2018. The 55-year-old businesswoman was found dead in the apartment on Park Avenue by her housekeeping staff at around 10:20 am. The police reported that there was no sign of a break-in, struggle, or burglary.
About Kate Spade Death & How She Dies
Kate Spade death was concluded to be a suicide as she was found hanging in her apartment. Police say that there was a note in the room which was addressed to Kate Spade’s daughter. Later, Kate Spade’s husband and co-founder of the brand Andy Spade told the press that Kate Spade had been struggling with mental health issues for a long time. He said that she suffered severely from issues like anxiety and depression for years. She had been working with doctors as a part of her treatment but it was very unfortunate that the negative part of her got hold of her will. Kate Spade was estimated to have a net worth of $200 Million at the time of Kate Spade death.
How Famous is Kate Spade?
Kate Spade Known for its iconic floral designs and bright-colored handbags, Kate Spade New York was a brand developed by Kate Spade herself and her husband Andy Spade, that took the fashion industry by storm. It created a revolution in the field of handbags in the 90s. Even though it started only as a handbag store, Kate Spade is now a fashion brand with different items like jewelry, perfume, accessories, and home decor which can be found in almost all retail stores across the country. The brand owns about 140 retail and outlet stores in the U.S and more than 170 stores abroad.
The handbag brand became a whooping sensation in the US by the 90s. The idea for the company was by Katherine Noel Brosnahan who later came to be known as Kate Spade. Katherine was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Katherine graduated High School from St Teresa’s Academy and then joined the University of Kansas. From the University of Kansas, she transferred to Arizona State University. Kate Spade majored in Journalism at the University. During her studies, Katherine met Andy Spade, who used to work in a clothing store in Pheonix. They became co-workers and eventually partners -both in life and business.
Upon the completion of their course, the couple moved to New York where they eventually started their business. It was with Andy’s investment from his savings that they started production of their handbags. It was also Andy who suggested the name Kate Spade for the newly launched brand. Kate’s bags were an instant hit among women. They were attracted by the sophisticated look and the price range of the bag was also affordable unlike the luxury brands like Louis Vitton and Burberry. The bags took over New York very easily and once Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief for the world-famous fashion magazine Vogue, recalled that it was impossible to pass a block without spotting a Kate Spade bag.
About Kate Spade New York
The company which started with handbags eventually started to branch into other areas of fashion like shoes, perfumes, accessories, jewelry, and even home decor items. The venture Kate Spade also started two other lines Kate Spade Saturday and Jack Spade. While the former focused on more casual handbags and apparel, the latter focused on men’s leather goods and accessories. Both these shops were closed down eventually in 2015.
In 1999, Kate Spade sold a 56% stake in her business to the Neiman Marcus group. The Neiman group is an American integrated luxury retailer which is based in Dallas, Texas. It was done so that she could expand the area of her business and grow into a much bigger chain. After selling the stake in her company, Kate, in 2004, launched a new range of home decor under the name ‘Kate Spade at Home’. Later in 2006, Kate Spade sold the remaining 44% share to the Neiman Marcus Group. The company was then handed over a few times to different managements before it finally landed with Tapestry Inc, of which Kate Spade is still a part.
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Kate Spade married Andy Spade in 1994. He is an American businessman and also the co-founder of the brand Kate Spade. Both Andy and Kate Spade met at a very young age and got married eventually. It was Andy who suggested the name Kate Spade for the brand. The couple never got legally divorced but it was evident that they had issues between them. Andy and Kate Spade were living apart for a few months before her death. The couple had a daughter together in 2005. It was following her birth that Kate Spade sold her remaining share in the company. She told that she wanted to take care of her daughter and take some years off from work.
Before her death in 2018, Kate Spade launched a new brand under the name Frances Valentine for luxury footwear and handbags. The company launched a collection named ‘Love Katy’ in her memory. The company is all set to build up on the plans and ideas of Kate Spade that she gathered through her years of experience in the field.