Designer Kate Spade was found dead in her Manhattan apartment today (June 5, 2018), from what appears to be a suicide. According to the NY Times, Spade was found by her housekeeper in her 850 Park Avenue home, where she found Spade “hanging from a red scarf tied to a doorknob.” The housekeeper called 911, and Spade was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:26 a.m.
Spade and her husband, Andy Spade, launched Kate Spade Handbags in 1993. The 55-year-old designer sold all remaining shares of her eponymous clothing and accessory company to Neiman Marcus for $59 million in 2006. Neiman Marcus went on to sell the label to Fifth & Pacific. Kate Spade was acquired by Tapestry in a $2.4 billion deal in May 2017.
Born Katherine Noel Frances Valentine Brosnahan Spade, she told Business of Fashion in 2017 she had changed her name to Kate Valentine in 2017. The name changed followed the start up of Frances Valentine, a handbag and footwear brand.
Spade is survived by her husband and daughter.
