As one of the most talked-about figures, Kate Spade has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What was Kate Spade's Net Worth?

Though Kate Spade New York only sold handbags at first, it later began selling clothing, shoes, jewelry, eyewear, fragrances, stationery, and other items. In 1993, the company reported $100,000 in sales, and by 1998, that figure had jumped up to $27 million (and $99 million by 2006). As of this writing, more than 140 Kate Spade shops and outlets have opened in the U.S. alone, and there are more than 175 stores internationally.

Kate Spade was born Katherine Noel Brosnahan on December 24, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri. Her mother, June, was a housewife, and her father, Frank, was the owner of a road-construction company. Kate attended the all-girls Catholic high school St. Teresa's Academy, and after graduation, she enrolled at the University of Kansas, then transferred to Arizona State University, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She earned a degree in journalism in 1985, and as a college student, she worked at the Phoenix clothing store, Carter's Men Shop. Spade was the aunt of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" star Rachel Brosnahan, who has called Kate "exceedingly kind, beautifully sensitive, insanely talented, funny as heck and one of the most generous people I have ever known."

Spade moved to New York City to work for "Mademoiselle" magazine, where she spent five years, eventually becoming a senior fashion editor as well as head of accessories. She left in 1991, and two years later, she founded Kate Spade New York with her future husband, Andy Spade. After initially being undecided on what she should call the company since she thought that "Kate Brosnahan" was too cumbersome, Andy suggested "Kate Spade" since Kate would be taking his last name after their wedding. To make her first line of handbags, Spade used paper and Scotch Tape to make six prototypes and produced them with the help of an East New York manufacturer who was open to working with a startup. Andy, who had been working as a copywriter, withdrew the money from his 401(k) to finance the company. After the Barneys department store chain ordered a few of Kate's bags at a show at the Javits Center, she made a change to the look of her handbags, putting the labels on the outside. Her handbags, which were sold for around $150-$450, became popular, and she opened her first store in 1996 in New York City's SoHo neighborhood.

In 2016, Spade launched Frances Valentine, a line of luxury handbags and footwear. In 2004, she published the books "Manners," "Occasions," and "Style," and in 2006, Kate and Andy invested in a small television network called Plum TV that broadcasts in Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Hamptons. Sadly, Spade passed away in June 2018 from an apparent suicide.

In 2004, Spade launched a home collection called Kate Spade at Home, featuring bedding, decor, bath items, wallpaper, and more. After Neiman Marcus Group bought Kate's remaining shares of the company in 2006, they sold Kate Spade New York to Liz Claiborne Inc. for $124 million, and in 2017, Coach, Inc. bought the company for $2.4 billion.

Kate Spade was an American fashion designer who had a net worth of $100 million at the time of her death in 2018. Kate Spade was the founder of the luxury fashion brand Kate Spade New York. Kate launched the brand with her husband at the time,Andy Spade(brother of actor and comicDavid Spade). She launched with a line of handbags in 1993. The company grew to include several retail outlets in addition to selling their products through high-end stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's. Kate Spade built an international accessories business, branching out into new markets. Kate Spade now offers products in a range of categories, from eyewear to shoes to paper goods.

Kate and Andy sold 56% of the business to the Neiman Marcus Group in 1999 for $34 million, but remained active within the brand. They sold the remainder of her stake in 2006 for $60 million. In May 2017, Coach acquired the brand for $2.4 billion. Unfortunately, Kate and Andy did not benefit from this sale.

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Ultimately, Kate Spade's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.