知名時尚品牌凱特•絲蓓創始人在家中自殺

Fashion designer Kate Spade has been found dead in her New York apartment.

知名時尚設計師凱特·斯佩德近日被發現在紐約的家中身亡。

Police are investigating her death as an apparent suicide.

警方調查稱凱特·斯佩德明顯是自殺身亡。

Spade - who once edited fashion magazine Mademoiselle - was well known as a designer of clothes, shoes, and jewellery, but was best known for her accessory line.

斯佩德曾擔任時尚雜誌《小姐》的編輯，以時裝、鞋子、珠寶的設計著稱，但最有名的還是她設計的配飾系列。

She co-founded Kate Spade Handbags in 1993 with husband Andy Spade.

1993年，她和丈夫安迪·斯佩德一起創立了凱特·絲蓓手袋品牌。

The designer was found by her housekeeper who had arrived at the Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan to find her "unresponsive", a law enforcement official said.

一位執法人員稱，她的管家當天到她位於曼哈頓派克大街的公寓時，發現她已去世。

The New York Police Department confirmed the 55-year-old's death under her birth name, Katherine Noel Brosnahan.

紐約警察局確認了她的死亡。凱特·斯佩德本名凱瑟琳·諾艾爾·布羅斯納安，去世時年僅55歲。

She left behind a note, police said. They declined to discuss its contents.

警方稱，她去世前留下紙條，但拒絕透露內容。

The Spade family released a statement asking for privacy as they came to terms with her death. "We are all devastated by today's tragedy," it said.

她的家人十分悲傷，發佈聲明請大家尊重隱私，聲明中稱：“她的離去讓我們悲痛萬分。”

"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."

“我們深愛着她，也會非常想念她。在這萬般艱難的時刻，我們十分悲痛，請大家尊重我們的隱私”

Kate Spade Handbags - whose stated aim was to design the perfect handbag - opened its first store in New York in 1996, and now has more than 300 branches worldwide.

凱特·絲蓓手袋品牌致力於設計出完美手袋。該品牌1996年在紐約開設了第一家門店，如今在全球有超過300家分店。

It is recognisable for its distinctive logo which features the spades playing card symbol, in reference to the designer's surname.

手袋以紙牌中的黑桃爲品牌標識，呼應了斯佩德這個姓氏，風格獨特且很有辨識度。

The company's bright and colourful patterned designs became a trademark of its products.

其產品以鮮亮的多彩圖形設計爲特徵。

Kate Spade sold her namesake brand in 2007. It was bought last year by New York rival designer Coach in a deal worth $2.4 billion.

2007年，凱特·斯佩德出售了該品牌。去年，紐約競爭對手蔻馳以24億美元（約合153億元人民幣）的價格購入該品牌。

She and her husband then set up another design venture, Frances Valentine, named after their daughter.

她和丈夫隨後創立了另一家設計公司，以他們女兒的名字命名爲弗朗西斯·瓦倫丁。

News of Kate Spade's death has led to many tributes to her work.

在得知她的死訊後，很多人對她的設計作品致敬。

Designer Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb, executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, released a joint statement expressing their condolences.

設計師黛安·馮芙絲汀寶和美國設計師協會執行官斯蒂芬·考博發佈了一份聯合聲明，表達哀悼之情。

"The CFDA is devastated to hear the news of our friend, colleague and CFDA member Kate Spade's tragic passing.

“聽到我們的朋友、同事和會員凱特·斯佩德不幸去世的消息，整個協會都非常悲傷。”

"She was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion and the way the world viewed American accessories."

“她是一位偉大的設計天才，對美國時尚界和世界對美國飾品的評價有不可估量的影響。”

Young women shared memories of their "first Kate Spade" handbag, which for many came during high school.

年輕女性們分享了自己擁有第一個凱特·絲蓓手袋時的記憶，這把很多人拉回到高中時代。