Kate Spade was found dead on Tuesday of an apparent suicide, and law enforcement officials say she left a note at the scene.
CBS News reports that famous fashion designer Spade, 55, was found hanging by housekeeping staff at around 10:20 a.m. in her New York City apartment on Park Avenue. She was found with a red scarf around her neck attached to a doorknob, and it is unclear how long she had been dead.
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Officials did not know what the note said and were not authorized to give details relating to an ongoing investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The NYPD’s chief of detectives, Dermot Shea, said that the state of Spade’s apartment and the note indicate “a tragic suicide.”
Along with her husband, Andy Spade, Kate leaves behind daughter Frances, who was born in 2005.
The designer was born Katherine Brosnahan, meeting her husband at Arizona State University. The two went into business together, starting the Kate Spade company in the early ’90s.
Kate became a hit in the fashion world in the ’90s with her minimalist handbag line, which has since continued to grow to include clothing, shoes, accessories andhomegoods. The brand was known for its sleek designs and bright colors, with the designer perfectly encapsulating her brand’s aesthetic with her colorful clothes and perma-bouffant.
The 55-year-old left her the Kate Spade brand in 2007 one year after it was purchased from the Neiman Marcus Group for $125 million by the company then known as Liz Claiborne Inc. In 2016, Kate launched a new brand, Frances Valentine, with her partners.
Kate Spade New York was purchased in 2017 by Coach for $2.4 billion, and the brand has over 140 retail shops and outlet stores across the country and is sold in more than 450 stores worldwide.
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If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
