Kate Spade New York: Fragrances from New York, Alive with Joy and Color

“I kept coming up with these names. And Andy kept saying Kate Spade because we were 50-50 partners. And finally I just said, ‘OK.’ And everyone said, ‘I love it, Kate Spade New York.'”

― Kate Spade (née Brosnahan)

Translated from the Japanese version: “I kept thinking of different names. But Andy kept saying ‘Kate Spade,’ because we were equal partners. In the end, I said ‘All right,’ too. Then everyone said, ‘That’s nice, Kate Spade New York.’”

Basic Information
The Founders and the Brand’s Origins
The Brand’s Commitments
The Fragrance Lineup
1. Fragrance History Before Interparfums
2. The Interparfums-Era Lineup
By the Way…

Basic Information

Year founded: 1993
Founders: Kate Spade (Katherine Noel Brosnahan), Andy Spade, Elyce Arons, and Pamela Bell
Official website: katespade.com / Official Japanese website: katespade.jp
Fragrance license: Interparfums S.A. (France; an 11-year exclusive agreement from 2019)

The Founders and the Brand’s Origins

A Girl from Kansas City Sets Her Sights on New York

Kate Spade, born Katherine Noel Brosnahan, was born on December 24, 1962, into an Irish Catholic family in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating from the local Catholic girls’ school, St. Teresa’s Academy, she attended Arizona State University. She studied journalism there and graduated in 1985. It was at university that she met Andy Spade, who would become her business partner. Kate and Andy married in 1994.

After graduation, Kate moved to New York. One story recounts that she “stopped in New York for just one night,” was recognized for her talent, and was hired by Mademoiselle, a Condé Nast magazine, then and there. She built her career from assistant to associate editor, and eventually to senior fashion editor and head of accessories.

An Idea Born from Frustration

While covering bags and shoes from around the world at Mademoiselle, Kate began to feel a particular frustration. The bags on the market at the time were either high-end European brands that were too expensive or affordable options with unremarkable designs. She could not find a bag that was simple, stylish, and within reach.

“At the time, things were very—bags were too complicated. And I really loved very simple kind of architectural shapes.”

― Kate Spade

Translated from the Japanese version: “At the time, bags were far too complicated. I really loved very simple, architectural shapes.”

“I said to myself, ‘Where’s a bag that I can afford, that’s simple, that’s not saying too much and that I won’t be embarrassed to pull out every season?'”

― Kate Spade (1997)

Translated from the Japanese version: “I asked myself where I could find a bag that was affordable, simple, did not make too much of a statement, and would not embarrass me to bring out every season.”

That frustration and question became the starting point for the brand.

The Day She Resigned, with a New Resolve

In 1991, Kate resigned from Mademoiselle. According to what Andy revealed on a CNBC program at the time, the immediate trigger was witnessing a supervisor treat a subordinate badly. Kate left the office that day and never returned.

In 1991, before the brand was born, Kate and Andy talked over dinner one evening at a Mexican restaurant. Andy suggested handbags, and Kate reportedly replied at first that one did not simply start a handbag company out of nowhere. Andy laughed and asked why: was it really so difficult? That question gave Kate a push.

“And he just said, what about handbags? And I said, honey, you just don’t start a handbag company. And he said, why not? How hard can it be?”

― Kate Spade (from an NPR interview)

Translated from the Japanese version: “He simply said, ‘What about handbags?’ I answered, ‘Honey, you don’t just start a handbag company so easily.’ Then he said, ‘Why not? Is it that difficult?’”

Kate began making bag prototypes in her apartment with tracing paper, cardboard, and adhesive tape.

“I sat down with some tracing paper, and I knew immediately what the shape should be – a very simple square. At the time no one was doing anything that clean.”

― Kate Spade (2003)

Translated from the Japanese version: “When I sat down with the tracing paper, I immediately knew what the shape should be. A very simple square. At the time, no one was making anything quite so clean.”

The first prototype was made from burlap, the least expensive material available. Andy withdrew $35,000 from his 401(k), a defined-contribution retirement plan, to finance handbag production, and took the prototype to a manufacturer in Brooklyn.

The Birth of the Brand Name

There is a small story behind the brand name Kate Spade. Kate Brosnahan considered various possible names, but Andy repeatedly suggested “Kate Spade.” Because they were equal business partners, he proposed that combining Kate’s first name with Andy’s surname was natural.

“I kept coming up with these names. And Andy kept saying Kate Spade because we were 50-50 partners. And finally I just said, ‘OK.’ And everyone said, ‘I love it, Kate Spade New York.'”

― Kate Spade

Translated from the Japanese version: “I kept thinking of different names. But Andy kept saying ‘Kate Spade,’ because we were equal partners. In the end, I said ‘All right,’ too. Then everyone said, ‘That’s nice, Kate Spade New York.’”

The couple officially married in 1994, the year after the brand’s founding in 1993. The company name and the marriage came into being almost in parallel.

From Six Bags to a Global Brand

After presenting six models at an accessories show in 1993, Kate reportedly cried because sales had not even covered the cost of the exhibition booth. At that moment, however, Andy told her by telephone that orders had come in from two of America’s leading specialty stores, Barneys and Fred Segal.

“Katie, you’ve got two of the best stores in America. Why are you crying? Let’s not quit.”

― Andy Spade

Translated from the Japanese version: “Katie, we have orders from two of the finest stores in America. Why are you crying? Let’s not give up.”

In 1996, the first street-front store opened in Manhattan’s SoHo, measuring about 37 square meters. That year, Kate received the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) award for America’s New Fashion Talent in Accessories; in 1998, she also received its Best Accessories Designer of the Year award. From handbags, the brand gradually expanded into jewelry, shoes, stationery, eyewear, homewares, and fragrance.

Selling the Brand and Beginning a Second Chapter

In 1999, the Neiman Marcus Group acquired a 56% stake in the company for $33.6 million, accelerating its global expansion. In 2006, however, Kate and Andy decided to leave the brand to concentrate on raising their only daughter, Frances. Liz Claiborne Inc. acquired the company for approximately $125 million in 2006. The brand continued under its ownership until Tapestry, formerly Coach Inc., acquired it for $2.4 billion in 2017, remaining its owner today.

After leaving the brand, Kate announced plans for a new brand, Frances Valentine, in 2015, and began selling its products in 2016. The name held a family story: Frances was her daughter’s name, while Valentine came from her maternal grandfather’s middle name.

On June 5, 2018, Kate Spade died at the age of 55 in her apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan. Her husband Andy said that she had struggled with depression and anxiety for many years. The fashion world and the many people who loved her brand were deeply saddened.

The Brand’s Commitments

A Philosophy of Capturing “Joy” in Scent

Kate Spade New York’s fragrances consistently seek to express the brand’s own world, its colors, wit, and positive femininity, in olfactory form. When its first fragrance agreement with Interparfums was announced, Anna Bakst, then its chief executive officer, said the following.

“Fragrance is an aspirational category and the perfect way for our customer to discover the joy and femininity our brand is known for.”

― Anna Bakst, Chief Executive Officer, Kate Spade New York

Translated from the Japanese version: “Fragrance is a category that gives shape to aspiration, and it is the ideal way for our customers to encounter the joy and femininity for which our brand is known.”

Like handbags, fragrance is positioned as a category that can offer a first encounter with designer products. The philosophy behind it is to reconcile accessibility, including price, with a firm brand identity.

Bottle Design: Bringing the Brand’s Codes into the Perfume Bottle

Kate Spade New York’s fragrances incorporate the brand’s distinctive codes throughout their bottle designs.

The bottle for the flagship Kate Spade New York Eau de Parfum has a modern, softly curved form, with the spade symbol engraved on its pink cap. Its outer box features the brand’s signature spade-flower pattern in glossy embossing, while the perfume name is etched onto a white label for a simple, elegant finish.

Sparkle changes the bottle’s color from poppy pink to midnight blue, expressing the moment when New York at night sinks into twilight. Chérie has a glossy, almost spherical bottle with a bold combination of red and hot pink. Its outer packaging pays homage to artist Ellsworth Kelly’s minimal shapes and colors and also incorporates Kate Spade’s iconic racing stripes. Bloom evokes a bouquet with pale pink, a rose-gold cap, and a multicolored pastel flower pattern.

Trust in Perfumers

Since partnering with Interparfums, the brand has worked with world-class perfumers. Renowned “noses,” or nez, including Marie Salamagne of Firmenich, Louise Turner of Givaudan, and Sophie Labbé of dsm-firmenich have created Kate Spade New York fragrances. In making each perfume, they do more than design an olfactory profile: their own memories and emotional experiences are actively reflected in the work, giving the brand’s fragrances their distinctive personalities.

The Fragrance Lineup

Fragrance History Before Interparfums

Kate Spade New York first entered fragrance in 2003. In the earlier period, several perfumes, including Twirl (2010), were released under a license with Elizabeth Arden. In 2013, the brand celebrated its 20th anniversary with Live Colorfully, bringing in Le Labo co-founders Fabrice Penot and Edouard Roschi, as well as Poppy King, as consultants. A license with The Perfume Center subsequently continued until shortly before the Interparfums agreement, producing fragrances including In Full Bloom (2018) and In Full Bloom Blush (2019).

The Interparfums-Era Lineup

In June 2019, Kate Spade New York and Paris-based Interparfums S.A. signed an 11-year exclusive licensing agreement. On that occasion, Interparfums chairman Jean Madar said the following.

“The Kate Spade brand’s youthful, colorful spirit and touch of humor give it a unique and entirely new position within our portfolio which will allow us to develop very creative projects closely aligned with the image conveyed by Nicola Glass, its creative director.”

― Jean Madar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Inter Parfums

Translated from the Japanese version: “The youthful, colorful spirit of the Kate Spade brand, along with its subtle humor, occupies a unique and entirely new position in our portfolio. That will allow us to develop highly creative projects closely connected to the image conveyed by creative director Nicola Glass.”

Products began rolling out in autumn 2020, and the following main lines have emerged to date.

Kate Spade New York Eau de Parfum (From 2020)

The flagship fragrance of the Interparfums era, composed by Firmenich’s Marie Salamagne. Centered on wild strawberry, it opens with the sparkling citrus of bergamot. A floral heart of rose essence and freesia leads to ambroxan and cashmeran in the base, leaving a warm, woody trail. Dancer and actress Maddie Ziegler was the campaign’s face, photographed against the New York skyline beside the Hudson River. Maddie said the following about the perfume.

“I already relate New York with joy and energy, and that’s how I also feel about the perfume.”

― Maddie Ziegler

Translated from the Japanese version: “New York has always meant joy and energy to me. I feel exactly the same things in this perfume.”

Kate Spade New York Sparkle (2022)

Created by Givaudan’s Louise Turner, this amber-floral fragrance was inspired by the moments when New York sparkles at night. It begins with blackcurrant, Italian lemon, and frosted pink peppercorn, develops into a heart of purple peony and hawthorn blossom, and rests on cedarwood and oakwood with a vanilla crème brûlée note. Turner described its inspiration as follows.

“I wanted to create a fragrance that recalls the magic of the lights in New York and how the city seems to sparkle in the night. I remember being in the city years ago, as the sun was going down, sipping a delicious blackcurrant cosmopolitan, a gigantic bouquet of peonies placed on the table and smelling the lingering scent of a vanilla creme brûlée that had been delivered to a nearby table — all the scents came together in such an impactful and memorable way.”

― Louise Turner (perfumer)

Translated from the Japanese version: “I wanted to make a fragrance that recalled the magic of New York’s lights and the way the city seems to sparkle at night. I remember drinking a delicious blackcurrant cosmopolitan in the city years ago, as the sun was setting. There was a large bouquet of peonies on the table, and the scent of vanilla crème brûlée that had been brought to a nearby table was drifting through the air. All the scents came together in a powerful, unforgettable way.”

Kate Spade New York Chérie (2023)

Chérie means “darling” or “sweetheart” in French. Also created by Givaudan’s Louise Turner, it is a fruity-floral musk with top notes of redcurrant, raspberry, and Italian mandarin; a heart of sweet pea and jasmine sambac; and a base of white woods and Ambrofix. Its round, vivid red-and-hot-pink bottle, inspired by pop art, makes a striking impression.

Kate Spade New York Bloom (2024)

A floral line introduced in spring 2024, composed by Sophie Labbé. This eau de toilette moves from top notes of first-harvest lemon, or lemon primofiore, Granny Smith apple, and sweet orange to a floral heart of white camellia, orange blossom, and ylang-ylang, wrapped in a woody musk of cedarwood, sandalwood, and cashmeran. Labbé explained her intention for the scent as follows.

“Just like a bouquet of beautiful flowers, the fragrance projects a spectrum of colours, from the brightest to the most enveloping, projected onto delicate petals that bloom at the heart of a woody, musky comforting trail. The idea was to create a delightful and joyful aura that reflects the spirit of the Kate Spade New York woman.”

― Sophie Labbé (perfumer)

Translated from the Japanese version: “Like a beautiful bouquet, this fragrance reflects many colors, from the very brightest to those that gently envelop you. Those colors are projected onto delicate petals blooming at the center of a comforting woody, musky trail. Our idea was to create an uplifting atmosphere full of joy that reflects the spirit of the Kate Spade New York woman.”

By the Way…

The Unusual Relationship Between the Brand Name and Her Married Name

The brand name Kate Spade combines Kate, the founder’s first name, with Spade, Andy’s surname, but the two were not yet married when the company was founded. They married in 1994, a year after the brand was born in 1993, and Kate Brosnahan became Kate Spade. It is a reversal unusual even in fashion history: the brand name came first, and the married name followed.

Frances Valentine: Her Last Dream

After leaving the brand, Kate devoted her later passion to Frances Valentine. Its name combined that of her daughter Frances with the middle name of her maternal grandfather, who was born on Valentine’s Day, and Kate herself changed her surname to Valentine. After her death in June 2018, it was revealed that four seasons’ worth of designs had been completed for Frances Valentine.

The Connection Between Kate Spade and Rachel Brosnahan

Rachel Brosnahan, the actress who stars in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, is the daughter of Kate Spade’s brother. Kate was Rachel’s aunt, and, by coincidence, the series centers on a woman in New York, the city in which Kate built her brand.

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