OMG! Kate Spade, fashion designer committed suicide

Kate Spade, a designer best known for her simple, colorful handbags, which became favored accessories of professional women in the 1990s, was found dead June 5 at her home in Manhattan. She was 55. She committed suicide by hanging, said police officials, who confirmed to The Washington Post that a note was found at the scene.

Katherine Noel Brosnahan was born Dec. 24, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father owned a construction company, and her mother was a homemaker. She followed few fashion trends, other than shopping for bright-colored items at thrift stores, to stand out from her sisters.

In recent years, Ms. Spade launched a new accessories line, Frances Valentine, named in part after her daughter, featuring new lines of handbags, shoes and other items.