June 5 2018
Original article can be found here at the Millennial Spectator by Melanie Haid.
Who was Kate Spade?
Katherine Noel Brosnahan, known as Kate Spade, was a fashion designer, businesswoman and co-founder of Kate Spade New York along with her partner and later husband, Andy Spade. She was not only a fashion icon but also a mother to her daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade. She was 55 at the time of her death.
She graduated from Arizona State University in 1985 with a degree in Journalism and was an accessories editor at Mademoiselle magazine before forming Kate Spade New York. She originally made handbags, and later expanded her line into shoes, luggage, home decor, stationary and wrote three books. She was also named a “Giant of Design” by House Beautiful Magazine and won multiple awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
After selling Kate Spade and Co., Spade and her husband started another handbag company, Frances Valentine.
How was the company doing?
Kate Spade started out in 1993 making handbags, but later also integrated clothing and jewelry into the company. In 2007, she sold her company in order to focus her time raising her daughter. She launched a new fashion brand called Frances Valentine two years ago, named after her daughter.
In 2004, she had launched Kate Spade at Home, which featured various home items including bedding, bath and decor. Kate Spade New York has more than 140 retail shops and outlet stores in America, and over 175 international locations. However, it is reported that Coach paid several billion dollars for the Kate Spade and Co. company in May of 2017.
What was the reason for Spade’s death?
Multiple news outlets cited that this was an apparent suicide, although the investigation is still just beginning and not all information is official or released. She was found by her housekeeper at about 10:20 am, and there was a note left behind, although the details of its content are not yet clear.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America released a statement that Spade “was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion.” It is still unclear as to why she may have taken her life, but developing stories confirm that suicide was likely the cause.
Kate Spade allegedly hanged herself with a scarf in her apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan. The Suicide Prevention Hotline has been shared on multiple social media outlets since her death, and mental health groups have been speaking out for getting help as well.
If you are in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.
Lead photo courtesy of the Associated Press.
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