Designer Kate Spade, famous for her colorful bags, was found dead in her New York apartment after taking her own life. She was 55.
The police confirmed that the world-renowned bag designer died by suicide at her Park Avenue home on Tuesday, though details have been kept at bay. It was a housekeeper that discovered the body of Spade, who was found hanging in her own room, past 10 a.m., when the 55-year-old's husband, Andy Spade, was at the house and their daughter was at school.
However, there are still details that managed to trickle down, like how exactly she was found at her bedroom. Spade allegedly tied herself with a red scarf to a closet's door knob, and when the housekeeper found her she was already cold to the touch. While she was already unresponsive, the housekeeper sought help from the building's official, who performed CPR but to no avail.
Chief of detectives Dermot Shea confirmed it was a suicide after finding a suicide note. Though the content was kept from the public, some officials allegedly told other media outlets that it was addressed to Spade's 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix, assuring her that it wasn't her fault.
"Bea - I have always loved you. This is not your fault. Ask Daddy!" Spade allegedly wrote, as TMZ reported.
Other sources' statements heavily support that the suicide was prompted by marital problems, though readers should take this with a grain of salt as Spade's family chose to keep their privacy at the moment. Her family are also requesting for respect as they grieve for this sad moment.
Spade, who was born Kate Brosnahan, is the icon behind the trusty bags that started becoming a hit in the '90s. It was exactly in 1993 when she started her own collection of eye-catching nylon bags that then catered to young professionals.
Spade's brand has become successful since its inception. Her bags, inscribed with her name along with a spade, have found their way into the arms of celebrities.
Spade's company, Kate Spade New York, has more than 140 shops in the United States and more than 170 shops internationally. So clearly, the brand is successful, though the husband and wife sold 56 percent of the brand in 1999. She left the brand in 2007.
The untimely death of Spade prompted a worldwide tribute on social media from throngs of supporters of the acclaimed designer. Reese Witherspoon praised the designer, describing her as "wonderful, talented woman." Jenna Bush Hager referred to her as a "trailblazer."