Kate Spade has died aged 55. The American designer was found dead in her Manhattan apartment following an apparent suicide, reports CBS New York .
According to the news network, Spade was found by her housekeeper. It’s believed that she left a note.
![](https://exzny4b6bkv.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/kate-spade-1528215459-194x300.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1)
Getty Images
Spade founded her eponymous accessories line in 1993 – initially as a handbag brand – and it quickly became a hit within fashion circles. Defined by its playful, vibrant aesthetic and feminine shapes, the brand later branched out into ready-to-wear and jewellery in 2007. Now an international lifestyle brand, the Duchess of Cambridge, Jessica Alba, Pippa Middleton and Taylor Swift are all fans of the label’s colourful styles.
![Duchess of Cambridge wearing Kate Spade earrings Duchess of Cambridge wearing Kate Spade earrings](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/gettyimages-664616478-1528216563.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=480:*)
The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Kate Spade New York earrings. Getty Images
She and husband Andy Spade, who co-founded the company, sold a majority stake to luxury department store Neiman Marcus in 1999. They sold their final portion in 2007 to focus on their family. In 2016, they launched a new handbag and footwear brand called Frances Valentine.
They have one daughter together, 13-year-old Frances Beatrix Spade, born in February 2005.
From: Harper’s BAZAAR UK