Kate Spade

Kate Spade was an American fashion designer and businesswoman who made a name and a fortune for herself by designing and creating quality stylish handbags, shoes, and home items that the average woman could afford. Despite her massive success, she was plagued by depression and anxiety for much of her life, and her 2018 suicide shocked the world. Born Katherine Noel Brosnahan in Kansas City, MO, she briefly attended the University of Kansas before transferring to Arizona State University, where she graduated in 1985 with a degree in journalism. While living in Arizona, she began dating Andy Spade (brother of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975-) alum David Spade), a fellow salesman at a menswear boutique. The pair moved to Manhattan in 1986 when she was hired to work in the accessories department at Mademoiselle magazine. By the time she left the magazine in 1991, she had risen up the ranks and earned the title Senior Fashion Editor/Head of Accessories. In January of 1993, seeing that there was a lack of stylish and sensible women's handbags in the marketplace, she and Andy launched their first company, Kate Spade New York. Funded by the contents of Andy's 401(k) pension plan from his copywriting job, Spade designed six bags (the prototypes were made with Scotch tape and paper), and found a manufacturer in East New York. Following a show at the Javits Center, the department store chain Barneys decided to carry the bags. Though fashion critics found them to be basic, Kate Spade New York bags soon became a sensation. With prices running between $150 and $450, both teenage girls and sophisticated businesswomen could afford a Kate Spade New York bag. In 1994, Kate and Andy married. With their handbags quickly becoming ubiquitous amongst Manhattan women, Kate soon branched out into clothing, jewelry, shoes, stationary, eyewear, baby items, fragrances, tabletop, and bedding. The first Kate Spade New York boutique opened in the SoHo district of Manhattan in 1996, and the company moved into a 10,000 square foot office on West 25th Street. In 1999, Kate sold 56% of the company to Neiman Marcus, who would end up buying out the remainder of her shares in 2006, netting Spade $125 million. Following the 2004 launch of Kate Spade At Home, the Spades' only child, Frances Beatrix, was born. For the next decade, Kate focused on motherhood, and by many accounts became something of a recluse. She returned in 2016, launching a line of luxury footwear and handbags under the name Frances Valentine. However, not all was well in the Spade household: sales for the new line were sluggish, and in the summer of 2017, Andy moved out of the family home. Though the couple never legally separated and continued to work together professionally, some friends speculated that Andy wanted a divorce. Kate, despondent over the potential end of her marriage and the failure of Frances Valentine, tried to treat her depression and anxiety with alcohol, much to the concern of those she still allowed near her. On June 5, 2018, a housekeeper found Kate Spade dead in her Manhattan apartment. The death was ruled a suicide by hanging, and police found a note addressed to her daughter. She was 55 years old.