It all started back in 1993 with Kate Brosnahan’s search for the perfect handbag. Soon after, the brand debuted with just six silhouettes, combining clean, utilitarian shapes and colourful palettes in an entirely new way. And so Kate Spade New York was born.
Women and fashion editors fell for the brand’s fresh, modern sensibility, and a first shop swiftly followed in 1996. As the company grew, its signature graphic approach and trademark wit created a shorthand for the brand recognizable the world over.
In 2006, Kate Spade New York was acquired by Liz Claiborne Inc. which became Fifth and Pacific Companies Inc. Beginning in February 2014, the company changed its name and began operating as Kate Spade & Company. Deborah Lloyd, originally appointed Co-President and Creative Director, became the Chief Creative Officer. Under her watchful eye the brand flourished, while staying true to its original optimistic-yet-irreverent spirit. In her first year, Deborah launched ready-to-wear and costume jewelry collections, delighting fashion insiders and long time enthusiasts.
Under the creative direction of Deborah Lloyd and the strategic leadership of Craig Leavitt as CEO, Kate Spade New York has grown since its beginning more than twenty years ago. Its shops span from Sao Paolo to Shanghai, while its bold hues, statement-making silhouettes and clever twists on classic pieces continue to captivate consumers around the globe. From just six simple handbags, the brand now offers the Kate Spade New York consumer an entire world in which to live colourfully, from handbags for any occasions, to beauty, shoes, legwear, jewelry, eyewear, home, paper and desk accessories, and gifts.
All the while, the brand has never lost sight of where it began. Its exuberant approach, commitment to curiosity and passion for sharing its colourful world still shapes everything Kate Spade New York.
