Fashion designer Kate Spade committed suicide, New York police say

She left a note, CBS New York reports

Kate Spade was discovered dead by her housekeeper. Reuters

Designer Kate Spade, one of the biggest names in American fashion, was found dead on Tuesday in New York after committing suicide, police said. She was 55.

Celebrity website TMZ said the designer – especially known for her sleek handbags – hanged herself in her Park Avenue apartment.

A police spokeswoman confirmed Spade committed suicide but told AFP the exact circumstances of her death were not yet clear.

Tributes to Spade poured in – from celebrities, the fashion world and everyday women who admired her quintessential American style.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America said it was “devastated” at the news.

“She was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion and the way the world viewed American accessories,” said the statement from CFDA board chairman Diane von Furstenberg and chief executive Steven Kolb.

Spade – a native of Missouri who first worked as a journalist, including a period as accessories editor at Mademoiselle magazine – launched her eponymous fashion label in 1993 with her husband Andy and the help of investors.

Her use of bright colours and prints proved a hit with career women.

The brand, initially sold in several New York stores, opened its flagship in the city’s Soho neighbourhood in 1996.

Her designs represented the New York aesthetic – a mix of modern and classic. It was so associated with the city that she eventually added its name to her label, Kate Spade New York.

Kate Spade during an interview in New York in 2004. Bebeto Matthews / AP Photo

Her most famous handbag was the "Sam" – a black mid-size rectangular creation. It was relaunched this year by the label in new prints and colours.

Beyond the label’s signature handbags, Spade was also known for shoes. And the label later branched into ready-to-wear items.

In 1999, Spade ceded a majority stake in her company to high-end department store chain Neiman Marcus for $34 million. NM then sold the label to textiles giant Liz Claiborne.

Spade then sold the last of her shares in the company in the mid-2000s for $59m, and was no longer directly associated with the management of the company bearing her name.

In the past few years, Spade – born Katherine Brosnahan – had launched a new ready-to-wear and accessories label, Frances Valentine.

In 2017, Coach bought the Kate Spade label, the last remnant of Liz Claiborne, in a deal worth $2.4 billion.

Over the years, the label had blossomed into a full lifestyle brand with more than 300 outlets worldwide.

The company offered its condolences, calling Spade a “visionary”, and saying: “We honour all the beauty she brought into this world.”

Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was among the many offering condolences to Spade’s family on Twitter.

“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,” Clinton said.

Actress Lena Dunham said: “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.”

Spade is survived by her husband and daughter.