Kate Spade is one of the most recognizable fashion houses in the world, known for its high-end accessories.
However, few people know that it wasn’t always like this. Kate Spade started the company with a single concept.
After being the accessories editor at Mademoiselle for multiple years, Kate Spade decided to create her own line of chic and sophisticated handbags.
She started a company with just her name in 1993. She became quickly known for her unique designs, which were popular among women of all ages. What happened next is history.
Over two decades, the Kate Spade brand remains a major player in the fashion industry. Celebrities and everyday women love its iconic handbags.
The company has expanded its product offerings from clothing to home decor. So how did this little startup become such a big success? Let’s look at some of the key factors behind its meteoric rise.
What Is Kate Spade?
Kate Spade New York is an American design and fashion firm renowned for its men’s handbags.
Nevertheless, Kate Spade dedicates itself to more than just one type of product; other items like jewelry, perfume etc., are included in its ever-growing list of creations.
Andy and Kate Spade, a married couple, created the brand that shares their last name.
The company made its first appearance in 1993. Since Tapestry bought it in 2017, it has not existed independently.
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Kate Spade Logo Meaning And History
This brand emerged from a love story. The young woman started her line of women’s bags shortly after leaving her job at a fashion magazine upon graduation.
With $35,000 in funding from her spouse, Kate Spade New York (formerly known as Kate Spade Handbags) embarked on its journey in the fashion industry.
As the company developed over time, people began to notice the bags and add fashion statements. The company progressed by adding new arrivals from realms such as style and art.
Within a few years, sales had reached $99 million due to low prices and convenient locations in popular shopping malls worldwide.
The brand’s new parent company, Tapestry, discontinued its popular line of men’s handbags after it acquired the brand in 2017.
Afterward, minor adjustments were made to the remaining batch’s logos. In total, there are two logos associated with this brand.
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Kate Spade Logo 1993 – 2019
If you want to compete with the best, you have to model yourself after them–or, in this case, at least a few of them. That’s why the designers of the new fashion darling went with the most lethal suit in the deck (spades) for their label’s emblem.
With its unique symbol, this logo quickly caught the eye of older, more experienced companies in the trendy market, skyrocketing the young company to success.
The black peak is a carbon copy of the traditional symbol for good luck that is hidden. If you haven’t guessed, that’s an upside-down heart resting on a shaped foot.
The company’s complete name, “kate spade,” is listed below it on two separate lines in all lowercase letters.
The typeface is old-fashioned and typographic, including serifs and white space between each letter.
“NEW YORK” appears in the bottom row, capitalized and in tiny letters. The city’s name is much smaller than the first inscription because it appears here.
Kate Spade Symbol 2019 – Today
The new logo has the same components as before but with a sleeker appearance. A year after taking over the company, the revised aesthetic was meant to add some color without straying too far from what was already established.
The text is written against a light pink rectangle with a fuchsia background. The spade symbol can also be used alone, without the word, functioning like a mini-icon or location indicator.
The upper words in the logo are large and bold, while the lower words are smaller and thinner.
The previous year’s logo inspires the 2019 logo, but it is different.
The expanded size of the spade-shaped logo makes it more prominent; in some cases, the wordmark might be replaced entirely by the graphic.
The new Spade is not only a different size, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see that it also has a new profile.
The “leg” of the Spade has been smoothed out to create what the company’s Instagram puts as “a tonal enamel spade.” The company even introduced gold spades embellished with diamonds to accompany this new emblem.
The enamel badge is now available in various colors, with a gold divider separating the enamel filling.
The border is also golden, and the tag sewn onto the garment has a new background color. Instead of the traditional green, bright pink color has been chosen.
Instagram posts by the company introduced the new hue with the words, “We call it ‘pink kiss.'”
They have updated the visuals of their products to reflect our new brand identity better.
Their signature brown dust bags for handbags are now pink, and we have introduced a new “spade heart twist lock” bag design. This locking mechanism is flipped over to unlock it.
Font And Colors Of The Kate Spade Logo
The name is an essential part of identification. It has remained unchanged from its original state and is well-preserved.
The first section is long and uses lowercase letters, while the second section is short and capitalizes all words.
The chosen font is ITC New Baskerville Roman, which features lower and uppercase letters.
This typeface was originally designed by John Baskerville, an English printer from Birmingham, in the 1700s. John Quaranda created the current revision.
Initially, the logo colors were black and white; however, two shades of pink were eventually included for additional liveliness.
The black-and-white emblem is traditional for Kate Spade. Still, this particular tag featured the brand’s initials against a clover green background.
The introduction of the pink label in 2019 was meant to create a more girly or feminine feel.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Kate Spade Brand Identity?
The ideal life for a Kate Spade woman involves exploring other cultures, creating art, and reading great literature.
The brand strives to reflect her bold, confident, and fearless character through everything it produces.
The brand has been deliberately built to stand out from the many brands that target intriguing women. Is Kate Spade a good brand?
Who Is Kate Spade, And What Happened To Her?
Reta Saffo, Spade’s sister, told the press that she and her sister had traveled to New York and Napa regularly to spend time at Spade’s vacation home.
Saffo also stated that Spade’s suicide was “not unexpected” as she had had a terrible mental condition for years.
What Color Are Kate Spade Tags?
The green price tags with “Kate Spade New York” printed always find new and authentic Kate Spade handbags.
These retail cards need to identify the bag’s style by name, include the style number in a much smaller font, and a barcode.
Conclusion
Over the years, the Kate Spade brand has been associated with grace and sophistication for women.
In 2019, the company’s logo was updated to reflect this, with a smaller wordmark and larger spade icon.
The background color of the garment tags was also changed from green to pink.