CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses suicide.

Kate Spade, the American fashion designer whose line of handbags and accessories achieved massive success across the globe, has died. She was 55.

The New York City Police Department said her body was discovered by a housekeeper at a Park Avenue apartment on Tuesday.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot F. Shea said it appears Spade took her own life. An investigation is under way.

Spade was celebrated for her designs, which combined colour and practicality, and offered a fresh alternative to products from lauded European fashion houses.

In particular, Spade was recognised for injecting levity and personality into her work in a way that innovated the broader fashion industry.

Speaking to CNN, former editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine Cindi Leive said “everybody wants to create their own personal lifestyle brand, but that was new at the time, and in a lot of ways, the contemporary version of it really came from her.”

If you or someone you know would like to talk to someone about mental health, you can call the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (ages 5 to 25) or BeyondBlue on 1300 22 4636. If you are in crisis, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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Source: The New York Times
Image: Andrew Toth / Getty Images