Kate Spade New York

Kate Spade New York (stylized as "kate spade NEW YORK" sometimes with a "") is an American fashion house founded in January 1993 by Kate and Andy Spade, along with Elyce Arons and Pamela Bell. In 2017, the company was purchased by Tapestry, Inc., formerly known as Coach, Inc.[1][2]

History

Prior to company creation

Katherine Noel Brosnahan (later known as Kate Spade) was born on December 24, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri. She grew up in Kansas City and went to an all-girls Catholic high school. Eventually she moved to Arizona, where she attended Arizona State University and graduated in 1985. It is there that she met her future husband, Andy Spade. Katherine majored in journalism, while Andy majored in architecture.

Later stages

In 2004, Kate Spade operated only 13 stores in the United States, and did not ship out of the country (Cohen 198). The company initially sold handbags, but eventually extended to include stationery, personal organizers, address books, shoes, beauty products, perfume, raincoats, pajamas, eyewear, and clothing. It now has a full women's clothing line. The business' clothing and handbag lines are featured in retail stores all across the United States. Products are easily and continuously shipped around the world. By 2004, Kate Spade & Co. was worth $70 million, not including the complementary company Jack Spade.[10] Kate Spade has over 180 stores around the world, and is sold in more than 400 stores worldwide (Cohen 198). Kate and Andy went from taking "the nothing black bag" to a creative personalized purse, to later creating merchandise from the simple tote to home decor and bedding.

In November 2006, apparel giant Liz Claiborne Inc. bought Kate Spade for $124 million from Neiman Marcus Group.[11] Andy Spade was initially in charge of company operations, but, in 2007 after the sale of the company, operational control was turned over to Liz Claiborne. Kate Spade expanded their retail stores to include Kate Spade New York Outlets. The brand has over 47 outlet locations across the United States.[12] The outlets offer Kate Spade New York handbags, clothing, jewelry, and accessories at a discounted price. Kate Spade New York Products are also sold in major department stores including Nordstrom, Macy's, and Dillard's. Kate Spade New York handbags, clothing, jewelry, accessories, and home products can be found in these major department stores. Kate Spade Home products are also sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond. As of January 2017, Kate Spade New York also debuted an exclusive collection with Williams Sonoma, including dinnerware, glassware, and flatware.[13]

In June 2018, following the death of Kate Spade by suicide,[15] Tapestry, Inc. announced a plan to donate $1 million towards mental health awareness, starting with a $250,000 donation to Crisis Text Line.[16][17][18]

Jack Spade

Jack Spade was the men's line of the Kate Spade brand, founded in 1999 by Andy Spade.[21] The brand operated as an independent business with its own visual identity, website, e-commerce platform, and physical retail locations. For most of its twenty-three-year run, Jack Spade functioned as a line of furnishings and accessories for men. Its product range included bags, small leather goods (such as wallets, passport holders, coin purses, and phone cases), apparel, watches, and technology-related items.

Brand identity and marketing

Jack Spade developed a distinct brand identity grounded in minimalism, functionality, and dry humor. The brand deliberately juxtaposed utilitarian design with unexpected personality. Andy Spade compared the brand to a drop of mercury: "You can never put your finger on it. You can never figure it out."[22]

This tone extended to the company's marketing and retail environments. Retail stores in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan were designed by Steven Sclaroff,[23] and were described as evoking "modern masculinity."[24] A set of internal brand guidelines published in a 2009 blog post emphasized that "brand consistency is overrated," advocating instead for emotional cohesion over visual uniformity. "The brand doesn't have to look the same, but it has to feel the same," read one of the five guiding principles.[25]

Jack Spade also explored unconventional retail formats through a rotating series of themed concept shops. The "Jack Likes" campaign featured curated environments reflecting the interests of the imagined Jack Spade persona. For example, in 2009 the Bleecker Street location became "Jack & Jimbo's Bike Shop," which sold vintage bicycles and cycling gear alongside the brand's standard product line.[26][27]

Bags

Jack Spade was known for its minimalist, utilitarian bags designed for men. The brand's products were often identified by a small label sewn or embossed in a corner, typically reading "Jack Spade, Warren Street, New York" on early models, and later simplified to "Jack Spade" or "Jack Spade, New York".[28]

All Jack Spade bags were organized into named series, with staple lines like the Wayne duffel and Coal tote reissued in various materials and finishes over time.[29]

Notable bag types included:

Messenger bags, which featured a single-compartment design with flap closures secured by snaps or Velcro. These were typically made of waxed canvas, nylon, or leather, and included models like the Tech Oxford Field Messenger, which combined suiting fabrics with functional detailing.[30]
Duffel bags, especially the Wayne duffel, known for its simple silhouette, roomy interior, and durable build. These were offered in materials like leather, canvas, and nylon, and included features such as metal feet and detachable shoulder straps.[31]

Menswear

Jack Spade launched its first dedicated menswear line in 2006, appointing Irish designer Cuan Hanly as its creative lead. Hanly previously worked at Gieves & Hawkes and Paul Smith, and his vision for Jack Spade apparel merged classic British tailoring with casual American sportswear.[22]

Hanly described using an internal filter—"Would Jack wear this?"—to ensure design decisions aligned with the brand's invented persona. The resulting collections emphasized restrained design, quality fabrics, and subtle detailing. The apparel line expanded Jack Spade's original focus on bags into a broader lifestyle offering, which included shirts, trousers, outerwear, and knitwear.[22]

Closure and phase-out

In January 2015, Kate Spade & Company announced plans to close all 12 Jack Spade retail stores, alongside its lower-priced line, Kate Spade Saturday. This strategic decision aimed to focus on the growth of the primary Kate Spade New York brand.[33] Notable Jack Spade locations affected included the flagship store on Warren Street in New York City and the boutique on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California.[34][35]

Following the closure of its physical stores, Jack Spade transitioned to an e-commerce model complemented by distribution through retail partners.[36] However, by November 2017, the standalone Jack Spade website was phased out, and the brand's offerings were consolidated into a curated selection titled "Gifts for Him" on the Kate Spade New York website.[37][38]

type	Subsidiary
foundation	January 1993 in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
founders	Andy Spade Kate Spade
industry	Fashion
location	New York City, U.S.
locations	179 stores
products	Handbags · ready-to-wear · accessories
parent	Tapestry, Inc.
website	katespade.com