Kate Spade started her own fashion company “Kate Spade New York” in 1993 with her soon to be husband Andy Spade.
The fashion designer was known for her feminine design and pop of colors. She set out to design the perfect handbags for women. Her handbags were simple and modern with identifiable styles. Her designs were part of American Contemporary fashion in the 1990s.
Spade received two CFDA Awards. In 1995 she won a Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent and in 1997 the Accessory Designer of the Year.
In 2007 she sold her shares to Liz Claiborne Inc, which later became Kate Spade & Co. She left the company to focus on her family and wasn’t involved in her company for a decade.
In 2016 she launched her new fashion company “Frances Valentine”, which she named after her daughter. Her fashion empire sells handbags and shoes.
Kate Spade will be remembered through her utilitarian handbags and colorful palettes that made them so distinct.
