Designer Kate Spade, one of the biggest names in American fashion, was found dead Tuesday in New York, police said.
She was 55.
A police spokeswoman said Spade died by suicide but told AFP the exact circumstances of her death were not yet clear.
Members of New York's Chief Medical Examiner office transport the body of designer Kate Spade from her apartment building. Source: EPA
Tributes to Spade poured in - from celebrities, the fashion world and everyday women who admired her quintessential American style.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America said it was "devastated" at the news.
"She was a great talent who had an immeasurable impact on American fashion and the way the world viewed American accessories," said the statement from CFDA board chairman Diane von Furstenberg and CEO Steven Kolb.
