The fashion designer was found dead in her New York City apartment on Tuesday morning Inside Kate and Andy Spade's 24-Year Marriage: 'They Seemed to Be a Perfect Couple' Kate and Andy Spade were partners in both business and life. The fashion designer, who was found dead of an apparent suicide in her New York City apartment on Tuesday morning, married Andy in 1994, one year after launching the Kate Spade New York handbag line together. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Kate once told PEOPLE the secret to their happy marriage was “taking their vows seriously.” “We laugh a lot,” said Spade, who welcomed daughter Frances Beatrix Spade in 2005. “And my daughter has a really funny sense of humor. But when we need to be serious we’re serious, and she can tell the difference, but I think we’ve had a lot of fun. And then also you know you take the good with the bad. You take those vows seriously. Through good and bad.” Even after more than two decades of marriage, their love for each other was always obvious, the former head of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Fern Mallis, told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview Tuesday. Kate Spade And Andy Spade Credit: Rose Hartman/Archive Photos/Getty “She and her husband were a hot couple,” Mallis said. “They were very much part of the front lane of the fashion universe. They seemed to be a perfect couple, very happy together. You never saw them out being contentious or not being there for one another.” They also were open about their love for one another; when Kate Spade launched a fragrance in 2002, Andy told InStyle, “It’s sexy. I wear it when I miss her.” In the same article, Kate said of her husband, “Andy will be an amazing dad” – three years before the couple welcomed daughter Frances Beatrix. Kate and Andy, who reportedly met while working as salespeople at a Carter’s Men’s Clothing in Phoenix, Ariz., sold and stepped away from their company in 2006 to spend more time with their daughter. Last July, Tapestry, Inc. purchased the company for $2.4 billion. Kate, who legally changed her name to Kate Valentine Spade, later launched the accessories line, Frances Valentine, named for her daughter. Kate told PEOPLE in 2016 she and her husband shared a mutual respect for each other both in and outside of the workplace, saying she treated her husband as she would any other employee. Andy and Kate Spade Credit: Scott Gries/Getty “What I mean is we need to respect one another as much as you do the other people in the office because I can find myself if he’s on the phone, opening his door and going, ‘Hey, hey, I’ve got to tell you something,'” she said. “Now would you really go into someone else’s office and say, ‘Hey, hey, hey, hey, I’ve got to tell you something?’ No, you’d say, ‘Call me when you have a second.’ So I’ve had to learn to be as respectful.” The couple, who Mallis says were “well-suited for one another,” had opposite personalities, according to Kate. “He’s more relaxed more of a risk taker and I’m a little more detailed and uptight neurotic…” she said. “You can keep going on and on.” Andy agreed, during a BUILD series discussion, saying, “It’s like a team of someone setting something up and someone finishing it, I think that’s how we usually work.” Their creative styles were also shown off during a tour of their N.Y.C. apartment for PEOPLE’s Hollywood at Home series in 2016, where Andy was by her side throughout the day. “Okay, favorite picture, a picture of Andy skateboarding when he was younger and yes, it turns out that he was cool,” she said while pointing out photographs and artwork she and Andy had collected over the years. Their warm personalities were also apparent during an interview with Bon Appétit in 2012. “We never reject anybody based on what they’re wearing,” Andy said of their low-key dinner parties. “If a guy showed up in a tank top, flip-flops, and a sailor hat, we’d say, ‘Come on in. Who are you? '” They also shared their love for simple, easy food. “Ideally it’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes, paired with elegant lighting, candles, and flowers,” Kate said. “For dessert, I serve Duncan Hines chocolate cake or banana cream pie. Give me a cake like your grandmother makes!” “Katy likes hearty food, not some light, dainty fare,” Andy added. “My favorite is her chicken with vegetables.” Patrick McMullan Archives Credit: Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan/Getty Police say Kate was found hanging from a red scarf Tuesday morning in her bedroom at her Park Avenue home in Manhattan. The scarf had reportedly been tied to her door. A housekeeper discovered her, according to a police source, and she apparently left a suicide note, though its contents are not known at this time. “We are all devastated by today’s tragedy,” the Spade family said in a statement. “We loved Kate dearly and will miss her terribly. We would ask that our privacy be respected as we grieve during this very difficult time.”<doc-sep>Kate Spade is a household name. The fashion designer, in recent years, has been recognized for her colorful and quirky pieces. She has been a staple in the fashion world and, on June 5, 2018, CBS New York Local reported that the icon committed suicide by hanging. Kate’s body was discovered by her housekeeper, who called the police, at her home at 850 Park Avenue, and sources have said that she left a note behind. With her husband Andrew, also known as Andy, Kate Spade built a fashion empire and the couple’s net worth, at the time of her death, was estimated at $200 million. Together, in fashion, the two made a powerful pair in the industry. According to TMZ, the couple actually met in college, while working at a clothing store called Carter’s Men Shop in Phoenix. Get to know more about their working relationship, the family they have built together, and who Andy is, apart from his wife. 1. Andy Spade Is The Co-Founder of Kate Spade New York Kate and Andy Spade married in 1994, just one year after launching Kate Spade Handbags together, according to TMZ. Andy Spade is the co-founer of Kate Spade New York in addition to Partners & Spade. He is also the founder of the brand Jake Spade, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. Anthony Sperduti is the other co-founder of Partners & Spade. CBS New York Local reported that Coach actually bought the Kate Spade company in 2017, with a $2.4 billion deal. While Kate Spade New York was created in 1993, Jack Spade was developed in 1999. Then, in 2008, Partners & Spade was created in a storefront in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. In 2013, Andy launched a loungewear collection called Sleepy Jones, with his business partner Anthony Sperduti and Chad Buri. In an interview with Esquire about the brand, Andy was asked if he, himself, wears pajamas and he said that his wife Kate Spade bought him a pair of pajamas every year. 2. Kate Spade and Andy Spade Had One Child Together The couple had one child together, a daughter named Francis Beatrix Spade. She is also known by the name “Bea.” TMZ reported that, in 2007, Kate Spade actually sold her company to take some time off and raise her daughter. According to Cosmopolitan, Spade said, “I took off a good nine years raising my daughter and absolutely adored every moment of it. But then I realized that she was becoming 12 and really didn’t want me around so much, so I thought I’d get back into the business.” So, in 2016, Kate launched a new fashion brand called Frances Valentine, which was named after her daughter. The brand focuses on accessories and was helped along by Andy as well. Bea was 13 years old at the time of her mother’s death. The Associated Press reported that Kate Spade was found in her bedroom and was declared dead at 10:26 a.m. ET., on June 5, 2018. There was reportedly a note left at the scene, telling young Bea that the death was not her fault. AP reported that Bea was at school when her mother was found dead. 3. Actor David Spade Is Andy Spade’s Brother Comedian and actor David Spade is actually the brother of Andy Spade, making him Kate Spade’s brother-in-law. David Spade is known for many films, including Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, Joe Dirt, and Grown Ups. He actually got his early start on Saturday Night Live. In addition to his brother Andy, David also has a brother named Bryan, who works in construction. The parents of these successful siblings are Judith, who was a writer and magazine editor, and the father worked in ads. Their parents divorced and the three brothers were mainly raised by their mother. According to The Observer, the patriarch of the family would often disappear and sometimes, for months. In 2009, David, Andy and Bryan’s mother reflected on her kids’ childhoods, saying, “The boys took care of themselves. But they were very good at keeping themselves entertained.” She also stated that, “Andy was very sensitive and loved everything. He was just terribly interested in everything. I think he’s ADD, but I didn’t know that word then. He would have 10 projects going at a time.” Judith Spade was married three times and was living with her third husband in 2009, as reported by The Observer. 4. Andy Spade Started His Career In Advertising Prior to getting into fashion, Andy Spade actually worked in advertising. He worked with brands including Coca-Cola and Lexus, but left his job to fully commit to his wife’s fashion endeavors. When talking about how fashion advertising differs from the work he used to do in advertising, Andy told Ad Week, “It’s more visceral. There’s no logic to it. Fashion oftentimes isn’t about a product benefit, it’s about a point of view, a specific sense of style. It can be about a sense of humor people identify with.” Today, Andy is still in advertising as well. For example, his company Partners & Spade is an advertising and branding studio. Andy’s inspiration in the field, he says, is, “Tom McElligott. He brought writing back to advertising. He put words and pictures on a collision course—without words, the pictures made no sense; without pictures, the words made no sense.” Previously, Andy told The Observer that when it comes to his entrepreneurial dreams, money is key. He explained, “I would never build a business that doesn’t make money, I just don’t like the idea of just doing something—I mean that’s what my hobbies are. People don’t want to work for companies that can’t grow. I mean, my partner will leave if this company doesn’t make money.” 5. Andy Spade Is a Film Producer & Author Andy Spade is actually involved in film, in addition to fashion. He produced feature films with the company Red Bucket Films. The entrepreneur has also put together some book deals through publishing company HarperCollins. In 2009, The Observer reported that Andy signed a six-book deal with HarperCollins, for a series called “It.” Andy Spade is, clearly, a man of many trades. When reflecting on the worst business decision that he ever made in his career, Andy told Ad Week that, “Hiring the head of our warehouse without checking his references. He turned out to be in the Cuban mafia and had shipped drugs out of the last job he had. And he was practicing voodoo on the employees. I’m not kidding. We had to call federal people to come in while we told him to leave.”<doc-sep>Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Kate Spade’s estranged husband, Andy, emerged Wednesday from his Upper East Side apartment building about a dozen blocks from the marital home where Kate was discovered dead from a suicide on Tuesday. The pair had been separated for about six months, fashion industry insiders said. Police sources said Andy was also seeking a divorce. He had reportedly been living near the 850 Park Ave. building where Kate hanged herself with a scarf from a doorknob. The tired-looking entrepreneur carried an unopened Starbucks Doubleshot and wore blue jeans, a striped shirt with tan jacket and chukka boots as he emerged from the building that appears to be his bachelor pad. “Thanks,” he said when a reporter offered condolences but otherwise refused to comment. A suicide note Kate left instructed the couple’s 13-year-old daughter Frances Beatrix Spade: “This has nothing to do with you. Don’t feel guilty. Ask your dad,” police sources told The Post. Additional reporting by Tina Moore and Ian Mohr<doc-sep>
"Kate and Andy were having relationship problems," a source tells PEOPLE of the couple Months prior to Kate Spade‘s death, her husband of 24 years Andy Spade had reportedly been apartment hunting. “Kate and Andy were having relationship problems,” a source tells PEOPLE of the couple, who were parents to 13-year-old daughter Frances Beatrix. Andy was looking to purchase a new apartment in New York City due to marital problems, according to The Blast, which also reported that Andy was shopping for a new one or two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. Andy, who is the brother of actor and comedian David Spade, was in the apartment at the time of his wife’s suicide while their daughter was at school, as reported by the Associated Press. Police confirmed the designer was found hanging from a red scarf Tuesday morning in her bedroom at their Park Avenue home in Manhattan. The scarf had reportedly been tied to her door. A housekeeper discovered her, according to a police source, and she apparently left a suicide note. Build Series Presents Kate Spade and Andy Spade Discussing Their Latest Project Frances Valentine Andy and Kate Spade | Credit: Andrew Toth/FilmMagic In 2016, Kate sat down with PEOPLE for an intimate photo shoot at the home she shared with her husband and daughter, and shared the advice she wished she had taken at a younger age. “Don’t rest on your laurels. The end result isn’t as important as the effort that goes into it. Jump all the way in. Don’t be afraid. And don’t worry so much,” she said. “My dad always says ‘Just float.’ He’s very zen. Not every little pebble is a boulder. And it’s kind of how I approached [my new brand]. I feel a little less nervous. I should be more nervous, but I’m not going to take it so crazily hopefully.” "Mamma Mia!" Celebrates It's 5,000th Performance On Broadway - Arrivals & Curtain Call Kate Spade and daughter Frances Beatrix | Credit: Desiree Navarro/WireImage Kate Spade, née Katherine Noel Brosnahan, was the designer behind her successful namesake label, Kate Spade New York, which she co-founded in 1993 with her husband Andy. The line began by designing its famously colorful handbags before expanding into other accessories and clothing, ultimately turning into a billion-dollar brand. Tapestry, Inc. bought Kate Spade in July 2017 for $2.4 billion. Looking for more style content? Click here to subscribe to the PeopleStyle Newsletter for amazing shopping discounts, can’t-live-without beauty products and more. RELATED VIDEO: Kate Spade, 55, Found Dead in N.Y.C. Apartment from Apparent Suicide Also in 2016, Kate shared the advice for working with your husband, telling PEOPLE, “Treat them as well as you would any other employee. What I mean is we need to respect one another as much as you do the other people in the office. I’ve had to learn to be as respectful. As for their different personalities at work and at home, Kate said, “We just have different personalities. He’s more relaxed more of a risk taker and I’m a little more detailed and uptight neurotic.”