Kate Spade, Iconic Fashion Designer, Passes Away at 55

Kate Spade, the designer known for her iconic, affordable luxury handbags, has passed away at age 55.

Kate Spade, an icon of the fashion community, has passed away at age 55. The signature handbags Spade created for her eponymous company were not just stylish and colorful accessories but an object that "carried women into adulthood," as the The New York Times states.

Spade worked her way to the top of the New York fashion scene, beginning with a job at Mademoiselle Magazine. She eventually decided to create her own line of whimsically fabulous handbags that could be beautiful, sophisticated, and, most importantly, functional. Thus, Spade created her legendary and iconic brand of handbags that were must-haves for the working woman.

In a statement regarding the designer's death, Vogue editor Anna Wintour said, "There was a moment when you couldn’t walk a block in New York without seeing one of her bags, which were just like her: colorful and unpretentious.” 

Spade's handbags brought color, creativity, and fun into the world, as did the designer herself. While the woman who built an empire of whimsical sophistication suffered silently for years, fighting a private battle with depression, she nevertheless persisted in her mission of bringing beauty into the world.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. If someone is in immediate danger, please call 911.