Kate Spade was found dead of an apparent suicide just one day after a question about her was on "Jeopardy" on Monday, June 4. There was a fashion question, and the answer was "Who is Kate Spade?" The very next day, there was breaking news that Kate Spade, who was born Katherine Brosnahan in 1962, hanged herself. Most of the information in this article comes from a report by CBS News.

Spade was found in her Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan around 10:20 AM on June 5. Police officials said she had hanged herself with a red scarf that was attached to a doorknob.

Andy Spade, her husband of 24 years, was in the apartment at the time. Police say Kate left a note for her 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade, who was in school.

Reactions to the death

News of the 55-year-old designer shocked the fashion world and other fans of her famous bags. Spade was highly respected by her peers and Celebrities for her creativity and her rapid rise to fame. Chelsea Clinton, Kate Middleton, Ivanka Trump, and other celebrities own the Kate Spade bags.

Kate's suicide brings back memories of two other fashion designers who died by hanging.

Alexander McQueen hanged himself in 2010, nine days after the death of his mother. Before his death, the 40-year-old designer had posted on social media about how much he was grieving. L'Wren Scott hanged herself in 2014 with a scarf attached to a doorknob very similar to what officials say happened to Spade. The 49-year-old fashion designer was a model before she became famous for her fashions.

The famous bags

Kate Spade New York was started in 1993 in the apartment of the founder and her husband, who was also her business manager.

They started out with only six bags. Today, the bags are in more than 140 retail shops and outlet stores across the United States and more than 175 stores nationwide The bags are easily recognized because of their unique shapes and colors. Besides bags, the Spades expanded into selling clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, luggage, bedding, and stationery.

Kate grew tired of her successful business, and in 1999, she and her husband sold 56 percent of the brand to Neiman Marcus for $33.6 million. When Liz Claiborne acquired the business in 2007, Spade left the company. Coach bought the brand in 2017 for $2.4 billion.

The Spades were very successful in business. After they walked away from Kate Spade New York, they started another company named after their daughter.

It was called Frances Valentine, and that brand was also successful. It seems as though Kate and Andy Spade had the Midas touch when it came to designing.

Kate's husband Andy is the brother of actor and comedian David Spade. Actress Rachel Brosnahan is Kate Spade's niece.
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