Designer Kate Spade has passed away at the age of 55.
The fashion icon was found dead of an apparent suicide in her Manhattan apartment on Tuesday. The NYPD tells E! News that Kate was discovered unconscious, unresponsive and EMS pronounced her deceased at 10:26 a.m. Tuesday.
A law enforcement source tells E! News that Kate was found in the bedroom of the Park Ave. apartment, apparent suicide by hanging. Her housekeeper found her and a note was found at the scene. Her husband, Andy Spade, was home at the time.
Kate, born in Dec. 1962, grew up in Kansas City. After graduating high school she went on to attend the University of Kansas and later transferred to Arizona State University. In 1985, Kate graduated with a degree in journalism.
After graduating college, Kate moved to New York City where she worked for women's magazine Mademoiselle. Three years after leaving the magazine, Kate launched the brand Kate Spade with Andy in January of 1993. Since that time, the brand has grown into one of the most beloved design houses in the fashion industry. A year after Kate and Andy launched the brand, the couple wed in 1994. In 1999, Kate sold a majority of the company to Neiman Marcus Group, and would later sell the rest of her shares in 2006.
After news of Kate's death broke on Tuesday, Kate Spade New York released a statement on her passing.
"We at Kate Spade New York just learned of the incredibly sad news that Kate Spade has passed," the statement reads. "Although Kate has not been affiliated with the brand for more than a decade, she and her husband and creative partner, Andy, were the founders of our beloved brand. Kate will be dearly missed. Our thoughts are with Andy and the entire Spade family at this time."
Andy, 55, is the brother of actor David Spade.
In Feb. 2005, Kate gave birth to a daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade. In 2016, she launched a new brand named after her daughter, Frances Valentine.
Kate, who was born Katherine Brosnahan, is the aunt of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actress Rachel Brosnahan.