Kate Spade was found dead in her New York City apartment on Tuesday of an apparent suicide, and friends and fans alike have been mourning the designer since the news was announced. While many know Spade for her sleek and colorful designs, some might not know that she had a few famous faces in her family, including actress Rachel Brosnahan.
Brosnahan is Spade’s niece and currently stars as the titular character, Midge Maisel, on Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She previously appeared on Netflix’s House of Cards and NBC’s The Blacklist.
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In 2017, opened up to Women’s Wear Daily about her aunt, noting that while she admires fashion “from afar,” she still has plenty in common with Spade.
“People around me have said that I’ve inherited little pieces of Katie’s style,” she shared. “For example, I love a good shoe and a good bag, and I know that she was largely influenced by my grandmother, her mother, June. Who actually, fun fact, Midge is slightly inspired by.”
The actress also discussed her grandmother’s style while speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 2015.
“One of aunt Katie’s influences was my fabulous grandmother, June, who always had a closet full of amazing shoes and scarves and handbags,” she recalled, adding that the character she played on WGN America’s Manhattan was also inspired by her grandmother.
“Abby is actually a loose take on my grandmother,” she shared. “They share a similar style, a pulled-together presentation, and also a great resilience.”
Spade made her name in the fashion world with her sleek and colorful bags, which gained fame in the ’90s after the designer started her brand with husband Andy Spade in 1993. She herself was the embodiment of that brand, favoring bright hues and a retro-inspired bouffant hairdo.
In her 2002 Glamour Women of the Year interview, Spade reflected on how she would like to be remembered, citing her inviting personality.
“I hope that people remember me not just as a good businesswoman but as a great friend—and a heck of a lot of fun,” she said.
Spade was found hanging in her apartment by housekeeping staff on Tuesday morning in an apparent suicide. A note was reportedly left at the scene, though officials do not know what it said.
The NYPD’s chief of detectives, Dermot Shea, told CBS News that the state of Spade’s apartment and the note indicate “a tragic suicide.”
Photo Credit: Getty / Walter McBride
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
