In sad news today, well known designer Kate Spade and creator of the iconic Kate Spade line of nylon purses has died .
It’s reported Spade hanged herself in an apparent suicide this morning at her New York City apartment after being found by her housekeeper. NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said a suicide note was found at the scene.
Kate Spade began her rise to fame when she got a job in the accessories department at Mademoiselle magazine in 1986. She left the magazine five years later, and decided to start her own line of purses, because she noticed that what the accessories industry lacked was sensible and stylish purses that people didn’t need to spend outrageous prices for.
In 1993, Kate and her husband Andy Spade (brother of David Spade) used money from his savings to start Kate Spade Handbags. It took off, and they later expanded the brand by selling everything from stationary to home stuff to shoes to clothes to man bags (called Jack Spade) to perfume, and more.
Neiman Marcus bought a controlling stake in Kate Spade in 1999, and bought the rest of the company in 2006. Coach, Inc. bought Kate Spade for $2.4 billion last year.
Kate is survived by her husband Andy and their 13-year-old daughter Frances.
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