The ace fashion designer Kate Brosnahan Spade has been found dead in an apparent suicide, as per the New York Police Department sources. She was 55.
Spade, the famous retail icon who created accessible handbag Kate Spade, was discovered dead in her Manhattan Upper East Side home on Tuesday morning. As per sources, Spade’s housekeeper found her hanging in her bedroom and called the police. A suicide note has also been discovered at the scene; however, the police officials have not disclosed any more details.
Spade, a native of Kansas City, Missouri started the brand Kate Spade along with her husband in the year 1993 in New York. The brand quickly gained a lot of popularity after which the two opened their first shop in the New York City in three years later, as per the company’s official website. However, as the time passed, Spade distanced herself from the business.
Later, the couple sold 56% of their brand to Neiman Marcus in the year 1999 reportedly for $33.6 million, and the rest of the portion was sold in 2006 reportedly for $59 million. Over the years, the company which was initially started as a handbag collection established a lifestyle brand that included other items starting from home decor to the shoes.
In the year 2017, the fashion brand Coach bought Kate Spade & Company for a 2$2.4 billion deal. The Kate Spade New York has over 140 US retail shops and around 175 shops across the world.
The company’s official website shared the sad news about their founder’s death in a statement which read, “Although Kate has not been affiliated with the brand for more than a decade, she and her husband and creative partner, Andy, were the founders of our beloved brand. Kate will be dearly missed. Our thoughts are with Andy and the entire Spade family at this time.”
