Kate Spade is owned by Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE: TPR), which acquired Kate Spade & Company in 2017 for $2.4 billion. Tapestry also owns Coach and Stuart Weitzman. Kate Spade operates as a wholly-owned brand within Tapestry's portfolio, not as a separate company.

Is Kate Spade publicly traded?

Kate Spade is not publicly traded as a separate entity. Kate Spade & Company previously traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker KATE before being acquired by Tapestry in 2017. Parent company Tapestry, Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TPR. Kate Spade's financial performance is reported as a segment within Tapestry's consolidated results.

When did Tapestry acquire Kate Spade?

Tapestry, Inc. (then known as Coach, Inc.) acquired Kate Spade & Company in 2017 for approximately $2.4 billion. Coach rebranded as Tapestry, Inc. later that year to reflect its multi-brand portfolio.

What is Kate Spade most famous for?

Kate Spade is most famous for its contemporary designer handbags featuring clean lines, structured shapes, and playful colors. The brand's signature spade logo and whimsical aesthetic made it a defining accessible luxury brand of the 1990s and 2000s. Kate Spade products are priced below European luxury brands like Prada and Louis Vuitton but above mass-market brands.

What happened to Kate Spade the founder?

Kate Spade (Katherine Noel Brosnahan) left the brand in 2007 after selling her remaining stake. She launched a new handbag line called Frances Valentine in 2016. Kate Spade died by suicide on June 5, 2018, at age 55. Her death prompted widespread media coverage and tributes from the fashion industry.

Fashion & Apparel

Who Owns Kate Spade?

Kate Spade is owned by Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE: TPR), a publicly traded American fashion holding company. Founded in 1993 by Kate and Andy Spade in New York City, Kate Spade was acquired by Tapestry in 2017 for $2.4 billion. The brand operates as a wholly-owned division within Tapestry's portfolio, alongside Coach and Stuart Weitzman. Kate Spade generated approximately $1.4 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025.

Parent Company

Tapestry, Inc.

Acquired

2017

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

New York, New York, USA

Kate Spade Timeline

1941

Tapestry, Inc.

Parent company established in New York, New York, USA

Company Founded

1993

Kate Spade

Founded by Kate Spade, Andy Spade

Founded

2017

Acquired by Tapestry, Inc.

Tapestry, Inc. acquired Kate Spade

Acquired

mid rangemass marketGlobalwomensOfficial Website

Who Owns Kate Spade?

Parent Company: Tapestry, Inc.
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Acquisition Year: 2017
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: NYSE: TPR

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Kate Spade	Tapestry, Inc.	Wholly owned

Where to Buy

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Kate Spade on Amazon

History of Kate Spade

Founded: 1993
Founders: Kate Spade, Andy Spade
Acquired by Tapestry, Inc.: 2017

Kate Spade was founded in 1993 by Katherine Noel Brosnahan (known as Kate Spade) and her husband Andy Spade in New York City. Brosnahan was a former accessories editor at Mademoiselle magazine, where she noticed a gap in the market for handbags that were both stylish and practical. The brand launched with six handbag designs featuring clean lines, structured shapes, and bright colors.

The Kate Spade handbag stood out in the 1990s accessories market, which was dominated by either expensive European luxury brands or mass-market department store bags. Kate Spade offered a middle ground: designer quality at accessible prices, typically ranging from $150 to $400. The bags resonated with young professional women in New York and quickly gained national recognition.

The brand expanded beyond handbags in the late 1990s, adding clothing, shoes, jewelry, and home goods. Kate Spade opened its first retail store in 1996 in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. The company went public in 1999, trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker KATE.

Kate and Andy Spade sold a majority stake to Neiman Marcus Group in 1999. Liz Claiborne (later renamed Fifth & Pacific Companies, then Kate Spade & Company) acquired the remaining stake in 2006 for $124 million. Kate Spade herself left the brand in 2007 to focus on other ventures, including a new handbag line called Frances Valentine launched in 2016.

Under Liz Claiborne/Fifth & Pacific ownership, Kate Spade expanded aggressively. The brand opened stores internationally and grew its e-commerce presence. The company was renamed Kate Spade & Company in 2014 to reflect the brand as its primary asset. By 2016, Kate Spade & Company operated over 300 stores globally and generated approximately $1.4 billion in annual revenue.

Coach, Inc. acquired Kate Spade & Company in 2017 for $2.4 billion. The acquisition was part of Coach's strategy to build a multi-brand fashion portfolio. Coach rebranded as Tapestry, Inc. later that year. Kate Spade became Tapestry's second brand, positioned between Coach (accessible luxury) and Stuart Weitzman (luxury footwear).

Kate Spade, the brand's founder, died by suicide on June 5, 2018, at age 55. Her death prompted widespread media coverage and tributes from the fashion industry. The Kate Spade brand continued operating under Tapestry's ownership.

Under Tapestry, Kate Spade has faced challenges. The brand's revenue has been roughly flat, with approximately $1.4 billion in fiscal 2025 compared to $1.4 billion in fiscal 2017 at the time of acquisition. Tapestry has been working to reposition Kate Spade with a focus on full-price retail and reduced reliance on outlet channels. The brand has also expanded in Asia, particularly in China and South Korea.

About Tapestry, Inc.

What does Tapestry, Inc. own?
Tapestry, Inc. owns two brands: Coach and Kate Spade. The company sold Stuart Weitzman to Caleres on August 4, 2025 for $105 million in cash. Tapestry also operates outlet store formats for both Coach and Kate Spade, but these are distribution channels rather than separate brands.

Is Tapestry, Inc. publicly traded?
Yes. Tapestry, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker TPR. The company was originally spun off from Sara Lee Corporation in 2000 as Coach, Inc. and was renamed Tapestry, Inc. in October 2017.

Who founded Tapestry, Inc.?
Tapestry was founded in 1941 as Coach by Miles and Lillian Cahn in New York City. The Cahns started the business as a small leather goods workshop. The company was later acquired by Sara Lee Corporation in 1985 and spun off as an independent public company in 2000.

Where is Tapestry, Inc. headquartered?
Tapestry, Inc. is headquartered in New York, New York, USA. The company is incorporated in Maryland.

How many brands does Tapestry, Inc. own?
Tapestry owns 2 brands: Coach and Kate Spade. The company previously owned Stuart Weitzman but sold the brand to Caleres in August 2025.

Who owns Tapestry, Inc.?
Tapestry, Inc. is owned by institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual shareholders. Major institutional holders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake, and all shares carry equal voting rights.

What is Tapestry, Inc.'s revenue?
Tapestry reported record annual revenue of $7.01 billion in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 28, 2025). The company raised its FY2026 revenue outlook to approximately $7.95 billion in May 2026, representing 14% reported growth year over year.

Has Tapestry made major acquisitions recently?
Tapestry's most recent major acquisition was Kate Spade in 2017 for approximately $2.4 billion. The company attempted to acquire Capri Holdings for $8.5 billion in 2023, but the deal was blocked by the FTC and abandoned in January 2024. In August 2025, Tapestry divested Stuart Weitzman to Caleres for $105 million.

Founded: 1941
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: NYSE: TPR
Revenue: $7.01B (FY2025, ended June 28, 2025)
Employees: ~20,000

Visit Tapestry, Inc. website

View full company profile for Tapestry, Inc.

Where Is Kate Spade Made / Based?

Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Manufacturing / Operations: China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia

Kate Spade Categories & Tags

Handbags Designer Accessible Luxury Accessories American Brand

Kate Spade Sustainability & Ethics

Kate Spade operates under Tapestry's sustainability framework, called "Fabric of Change." Tapestry has committed to science-based emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The company has achieved 100% renewable energy across its own operations through community solar partnerships.

Tapestry aims to source 90% of its leather from Gold or Silver-rated Leather Working Group (LWG) tanneries. Kate Spade uses leather, shearling, wool, and alpaca in its products. The brand does not use fur, angora, cashmere, mohair, or down.

Environmental rating organizations have given Kate Spade mixed sustainability ratings. The brand has been criticized for limited transparency regarding manufacturing locations and supplier relationships. The 2021 Fashion Transparency Index gave Kate Spade a score of 22%.

Kate Spade has faced scrutiny regarding cotton sourcing from Xinjiang, China, a region associated with Uyghur forced labor concerns. The brand has not publicly disclosed sufficient steps to remediate these links, raising supply chain transparency concerns.

Tapestry does not hold B Corp certification. The company publishes an annual Corporate Responsibility Report aligned with GRI, SASB, and TCFD frameworks. Kate Spade does not hold independent sustainability certifications separate from Tapestry.

Kate Spade Recalls & Controversies

Kate Spade has faced several controversies related to pricing practices, supply chain ethics, and brand management:

In 2017, plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit (Irvine v. Kate Spade & Co.) alleging that Kate Spade marked outlet merchandise with illusory higher prices to make discounts appear more substantial. The lawsuit claimed this practice violated New York and Florida consumer protection statutes. The case addressed the common outlet retail practice of creating artificial original prices for outlet-exclusive products.

Following Tapestry's $2.4 billion acquisition in 2017, shareholders filed lawsuits alleging that the Kate Spade board breached fiduciary duty by accepting an inadequate price. The lawsuits claimed the board failed to maximize shareholder value in the sale to Tapestry.

Kate Spade has been criticized for its fast fashion business model, which encourages overconsumption through frequent new collections and rapid product turnover. Environmental organizations have highlighted the brand's contribution to textile waste and environmental pollution.

The brand has faced criticism regarding labor practices in its supply chain. Kate Spade maintains a Code of Conduct covering International Labour Organization principles, but critics argue the brand lacks adequate oversight of supplier factories and has not ensured living wage guarantees in its supply chain.

Kate Spade has faced scrutiny regarding cotton sourcing from Xinjiang, China. The region has been associated with Uyghur forced labor. The brand has not publicly disclosed sufficient steps to remediate these links.

Tapestry's proposed $8.5 billion acquisition of Capri Holdings was blocked by the FTC in 2024 on antitrust grounds. The FTC argued that combining Tapestry's brands with Capri's Michael Kors would reduce competition in the accessible luxury handbag market. Tapestry abandoned the deal in November 2024.

Kate Spade Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Access to Tapestry's global supply chain and retail infrastructure across approximately 100 countries
+Strong brand recognition built over 30-plus years in the accessible luxury market
+Tapestry's financial resources support product development and international expansion
+Integration with Tapestry's e-commerce and loyalty platforms
+Growing presence in Asian markets, particularly China and South Korea

Considerations

-Revenue has been roughly flat since the 2017 acquisition at approximately $1.4 billion
-Outlet channel reliance has eroded brand equity and trained consumers to expect discounts
-2017 lawsuit over illusory outlet pricing practices damaged consumer trust
-Mixed sustainability ratings and criticism over supply chain transparency
-Scrutiny over cotton sourcing from Xinjiang region
-Competition from Coach, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and emerging contemporary brands

Frequently Asked Questions About Kate Spade

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Kate Spade

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Claire's	Ames Watson Capital	USA	1961	Mass market	United states	Girls
Fossil	Fossil Group	USA	1984	Premium	Global	Unisex
Fossil Outlet	Fossil Group	USA	2000	Premium	United states	Unisex
CoachSister Brand	Tapestry Inc	USA	1941	Luxury	Global	Unisex
Coach OutletSister Brand	Tapestry Inc	USA	1996	Premium	United states	Womens
Kate Spade OutletSister Brand	Tapestry Inc	USA	2010	Mass market	North america	Womens