NEW YORK – Designer Kate Spade, age 55, was found dead in an apparent suicide, according to published reports.
Known for iconic handbags and fashion accessories, the Kate Spade brand expanded into home furnishings in 2015. Furniture maker EJ Victor licensed the Kate Spade New York furniture line, which debuted at High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina.
“Kate Spade isn’t just one look. We were trying to make pieces that people can buy and add their own personality to tell their own story,” Deborah Camplin, Kate Spade New York senior vice president of home design told the Washington Post in 2015.
However, Spade and her husband Andy had left the company by then selling it to Neiman Marcus in 2006. Neiman Marcus later sold to Liz Claiborne Inc., which eventually rebranded as Kate Spade & Co., and Coach Inc. acquired the brand for $2.4 billion in 2017.
After a 10-year hiatus she returned to the fashion world and launched a new business venture with Andy in 2016 - Frances Valentine – featuring handbags and shoes.
Spade is survived by her husband Andy (brother of actor David Spade) and their 13-year-old daughter.
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