Kate Spade New York is an American fashion brand started by American Designer Katherine Brosnahan Spade in 1993. First launched with legendary now-defunct retailer Barneys New York, Spade's initial collection was a series of handbags featuring the woven label placed on the bag's exterior.
At home in her element of New York, Kate Spade's initial collection of bags quickly became a success, gaining exposure on New York City streets. Building upon that success, the brand branched into other categories, including clothing, accessories, fragrances, gifts, and more. The first Kate Spade boutique opened in 1996 in Soho. Tragically, Kate Spade committed suicide in 2018, but the brand has lived on in her memory and through the stewardship of her partner and husband, Andy Spade. Having evolved into something beyond the easy-to-wear, minimalist bags of the brand's debut, Kate Spade purists can find coveted styles like the Little Better Sam, which captures the brand's essence.
The 1990s saw Kate Spade win awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America for her skill and success in accessories design, and the brand is still widely known for its handbags. Branching into more expressive constructions, styles like the Boxxy crossbody bag express the vibrant, modern aesthetic that the brand has come to embody. Part of the viability of a designer's legacy is who executed the design. When a designer's life is tragically cut short, their body of work becomes highly desirable. Seekers of the rarest handbags and accessories can find a range of covetable styles from an array of storied designers on StockX.
