'Feisty, Creative Tour De Force' Fashion Designer Kate Spade Dead At 55
NEW YORK (AP) — Law enforcement officials confirm that fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead in New York in an apparent suicide.
Spade was 55.
"She was a creative tour de force, a feisty female designer. Her aesthetic was simple, elegant and chic based on 1950s fashion," said former assistant manager for Kate Spade in Dallas, Nell Langford. "She reminded us to live large - laugh, eat, travel and look fabulous and feel fabulous."
Spade's inspiration was whimsical and ultra feminine. She envisioned her customer doing dishes, but looking sexy doing it, wearing heels and dressed to the nines.
Her Nylon handbags created a huge sensation in the fashion industry in the 1990s, and her company, Kate Spade New York, had more than 140 retails shops across the country and 175 internationally.
Just last year, Coach bought the Kate Spade company in a $2.4 billion deal.
Many in the public eye took to Twitter in memory of the designer.
The passing of Kate Spade is a stark reminder that we never know the struggles of a person regardless of their outward persona. If you or anyone you love is struggling, there is help. You don't have to be alone.
— Archive: Ambassador Nikki Haley (@AmbNikkiHaley) June 5, 2018
The Natl Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255 #RIPKateSpade
I will never forget the first Kate Spade bag I got for Christmas in college. She was a trailblazer. Her life and death are a reminder that pain doesn't discriminate. Sending love to her family.
— Jenna Bush Hager (@JennaBushHager) June 5, 2018
#KateSpade, whose lively, colorful, and yes, joyous designs has died. My deepest sympathy to her family and friends, and her many fans around the world, who loved the wonderful illusions she created. I am stunned.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 5, 2018
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.
— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) June 5, 2018
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.
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) June 5, 2018