BREAKING: Kate Spade: Fashion designer found dead in New York home
June 5, 2018 22H:32 GMT/UTC/ZULU TIME
Related Topics
Image copyright
GETTY IMAGES
Image caption
Kate Spade set up a new accessories business called Frances Valentine in 2016
by Tamara Kachelmeier and Biodun Iginla, BBC News Style reporters, New York
Fashion designer Kate Spade has been found dead in her New York apartment.
Police are investigating her death as an apparent suicide.
She was found dead in her Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan at 10:20 local time (14:20 GMT) by her housekeeper, a law enforcement official said.
Spade - who once edited fashion magazine Mademoiselle - was well known as a designer of clothes, shoes, and jewellery, but was best known for her accessory line.
She co-founded Kate Spade Handbags in 1993 with husband Andy Spade. The company - whose stated aim was to design the perfect handbag - opened its first store in New York in 1996, and now has more than 300 branches worldwide.
It is recognisable for its distinctive logo which features the spades playing card symbol, in reference to the designer's surname.
Image copyright
REUTERS
The company's bright and colourful patterned designs became a trademark of its products.
- Kate Spade: A legacy of fashion in photos
- What makes this Kate Spade bag unusual?
- The handbag that costs as much as a house
Kate Spade sold her namesake brand in 2007.
It was bought last year by New York rival designer Coach in a deal worth $2.4bn (£1.8bn).
She and her husband then set up another design venture, Frances Valentine, named after their daughter.
Kate Spade legally changed her name to Kate Valentine (Valentine was her grandfather's middle name) in 2016 to "separate the two worlds".
Image copyright
AFP
Image caption
Reporters gathered outside Kate Spade's apartment after hearing news of her death
QUIRKY FUN AND COUNTRY CLUB
By Natalie Sherman, BBC News business reporter, New York
In the 25 years since Kate Spade's founding, the name has become a byword for a certain preppy style.
The former fashion editor told the New York Times she was looking for function, sophistication and "some style" when she launched her line of handbags in 1993, uninspired by other purses of the era.
Her look - bright colours and clear lines - quickly gained traction, appearing on the shelves of upmarket New York department stores like Barney's.
In 1999, Neiman Marcus took a majority stake, sealing the firm's ascendance in the fashion world and as a brand that embodied quirky fun, without straying too far from the country club.
The New York Police Department confirmed the 55 year old's death under her birth name, Katherine Noel Brosnahan.
The designer left behind a note, police said, but declined to discuss its contents.
The Spade family released a statement asking for privacy as they processed her death, the New York Times reported.
"We are all devastated by today's tragedy. We loved Kate dearly and will miss her terribly. We would ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time."
News of Kate Spade's death has led to many tributes to her work.
Skip Twitter post by @ChelseaClinton
Chelsea Clinton
✔
@ChelseaClinton
My grandmother gave me my first Kate Spade bag when I was in college. I still have it. Holding Kate’s family, friends and loved ones in my heart.
5:45 PM - Jun 5, 2018
End of Twitter post by @ChelseaClinton
Skip Twitter post by @lenadunham
Lena Dunham
✔
@lenadunham
Kate Spade was more than a designer. She had a quirky visual language that captivated Bat Mitzvah girls and artists alike. She was also a staple of NYC who spread good will. My heart breaks for her family. Thank you, Kate, from one of the millions you made feel beautiful.
6:38 PM - Jun 5, 2018
End of Twitter post by @lenadunham
Skip Twitter post by @IvankaTrump
Ivanka Trump
✔
@IvankaTrump
Kate Spade’s tragic passing is a painful reminder that we never truly know another’s pain or the burden they carry. If you are struggling with depression and contemplating suicide, please, please seek help. https://
twitter.com/800273talk/sta
tus/892129387017056256
…
6:22 PM - Jun 5, 2018
End of Twitter post by @IvankaTrump
Skip Twitter post by @JennaBushHager
Jenna Bush Hager
✔
@JennaBushHager
I will never forget the first Kate Spade bag I got for Christmas in college. She was a trailblazer. Her life and death are a reminder that pain doesn’t discriminate. Sending love to her family.
7:14 PM - Jun 5, 2018
End of Twitter post by @JennaBushHager
Designer Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb, executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, released a joint statement expressing their condolences.
"The CFDA is devastated to hear the news of our friend, colleague and CFDA member Kate Spade's tragic passing.
"She was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion and the way the world viewed American accessories."
WHERE TO GET HELP
From Canada or US: If you're in an emergency, please call 911. If you or someone you know is suffering with mental health issues, call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868. If you're in the US, you can text HOME to 741741
From UK: Call Samaritans on 116123 or Childline on 0800 1111
RELATED TOPICS
SHARE THIS STORY ABOUT SHARING
US & CANADA
Kate Spade: A legacy of fashion in photos
- 5 June 2018
- From the section
- US & Canada
Full article Kate Spade: A legacy of fashion in photos
Canadian jaws drop at 'beauty iceberg'
- 5 June 2018
- From the section
- US & Canada
Full article Canadian jaws drop at 'beauty iceberg'
Miss America says bye bye bikinis
- 5 June 2018
- From the section
- Entertainment & Arts
Full article Miss America says bye bye bikinis
More Videos from the BBC
- Kazan: A City of Nations
- China's Xi 'is a world-class poker player'
- Hegarty family criticise ex DPP
- No comment as Weinstein surrenders
- 'Can you even brush your teeth?'
- 'Why I'm travelling home to vote'
Elsewhere on BBC
- BBC News
- Baby boy critical after stabbing
- BBC News
- Iran prepares to boost uranium enrichment
- BBC.com
- #MyDubai - See how tradition influences new fashion design
Posted by Biodun Iginla at 1:20 PM Email This
Labels: and jewellery, BBC News Style, clothes, Diane von Furstenberg, Fashion designer, Frances Valentine, Kate Spade, Neiman Marcus, preppy style, shoes, suicide,Tamara Kachelmeier and Biodun Iginla