Women share memories of first Kate Spade bags after designer's death

Women have shared their first Kate Spade handbags on social media in tribute to the late designer, who was found dead in an apparent suicide in her New York apartment on Tuesday.

Twitter users posted pictures of their first Kate Spade bags, often purchased with the cash from their first full-time job, or to celebrate an important life milestone.

Celebrities added their stories to the tributes to the US designer, whose bags were, as reported by the New York Times, often an American woman's first "grown-up" handbag.

Chelsea Clinton tweeted that she still had her first Kate Spade, which she received from her grandmother.

Some stories were less orthodox than others, with Kate Spade bags having been begged for from parents, or even stolen.

Vanity Fair reporter Rebecca Keegan tweeted that she had been carrying a knock-off Kate Spade when she interviewed the designer herself back in 2003. After telling the story of hiding the fake under her coat while speaking to Spade, her now husband had purchased her the real deal.

Kate Spade was found dead in her New York apartment on Tuesday.

She was married to Andy, with whom she started her namesake fashion label in 1993. The couple have a 13-year-old daughter, Frances.

The Spades sold the Kate Spade label to Neiman Marcus Group in 2006.

There are seven Kate Spade stores in Australia, located in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. The brand is also stocked in Myer and David Jones.

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