Such a great piece - I worked in the soho shops for a while back in the day, and it was such a great time… so many lovely people were involved with the brand, and the alumnus stretch far and wide! But I hope people just buy the vintage bags - much cooler and most assuredly better crafted. There are a million out there on eBay etc if you just look… ❤️
In 2001, I bought a fake Kate Spade bag in Washington DC, where I was doing an internship. I remember that even that fake bag cost more than I wanted to spend as a poor college student, but carrying it with me on the Metro to my internship every day made me feel so grown up and glamorous. I’d love to find and purchase a real (vintage!) one, but I’m not sure if it was even a knock off of a real style (I’ve never seen such a bag from Kate Spade, though I haven’t looked too hard). That purse held such significance for me that, although I would never carry it or any other fake today, it still lives in the closet of my childhood bedroom. Every so often, I see it there, and it gives me warm and happy memories of my younger self.
I'm so happy you kept it...note re the knock-off style...I was reading an old piece in the Times and some of the bootleg styles were super egregious..."Kate Spude" or the label tacked onto Burberry print...maybe we will live in an era when old knock-offs become collectible!
Reminds me of Molly Shannon’s character in “Serendipity,” who tries to buy a “Prado” wallet off the street. My fake KS is nothing as egregious as that, but it is supposed to look like it’s made of leather, which, as you mentioned, Kate Spade didn’t use much. It’s pretty, though!
I'm in retail in the Accessories Department. When Kate Spade passed away, it seemed like every woman stopped at the handbag section and wanted to talk about what handbags they had and what it was like to buy your first Kate Spade back in the day. It was sweetly sad.
I was so happy to see this collaboration with UO! Thank you for your thoughtful words on the brand and the looks that started the company. I was on the design team at KSNY for many years and still have friends there. We put the Sam back in the line for the 25th anni but I think it was a bit try-hard looking, it lost the simplicity feeling, but I see the black logo tag is back now! - I am forever on the hunt for the Sam in linen/cotton canvas that Gwyneth wore to the airport when she was dating Ben....so simple and seemingly the perfect summer satchel. If anyone comes across it please give me a shout!
Ditto to the Kate Spade x Gwyneth bag! I just scored a canvas Kate Spade bag that I'm excited to wear..The brand history is incredible...it must have been amazing to work on the team...! Were you there in the early '00s? I'm currently looking at the book "Contents".
I hope to see a photo of your Canvas KSNY bag in a future post! Congrats on your latest find! I was there in the 2010s until just before the Pandemic. I freelanced there in 2008 when I first moved to NYC, when the brand was in transition from Kate, Andy, & Elyce after they sold to Liz Claiborne INC. I was so excited to be in those offices...my first day they didn't have an open desk for me so they put me in Andy's office. I sat at his desk and sketched while nervously looking around at his amazing collection of art and interesting items. So cool you have access to the book Contents! I have only seen online photos of pages! Such a cool concept.
There is something so nostalgic about a Kate Spade bag. I bought mine at an outlet in 2015 and it’s still in great condition. Although I haven’t reached to wear it in years, I just can’t part ways with it!
Lovely piece! I use my moms Kate Spade tote that she purchased in NYC in the 90s for work now. Chicest bag I own!
The kate spade brand was so enchanting. I used to be obsessed with their dust bags that always has a cute quip on them. And her manners books too! They raised me. She really had her head on right and built such a female forward brand
I first heard of Kate Spade not via Vogue but through a Meg Cabot (Princess Diaries author) book in the early 2000s, I think the heroine had a Kate Spade backpack? Coveted it just based on the name lol but the next year I met a girl who actually did carry a KS bag, that nylon made a lot of sense as a student with sloppy student habits.
I am on a nylon SEARCH right now...the nylon bags are so good...also the sheen of them make the bag look so good...ps. I want the '90s market editor approved SAM bag....
Such a great piece - I worked in the soho shops for a while back in the day, and it was such a great time… so many lovely people were involved with the brand, and the alumnus stretch far and wide! But I hope people just buy the vintage bags - much cooler and most assuredly better crafted. There are a million out there on eBay etc if you just look… ❤️
Thank you! What years were you there? I recently bought the book “Contents” (2000) that I think they sold in stores then?
In 2001, I bought a fake Kate Spade bag in Washington DC, where I was doing an internship. I remember that even that fake bag cost more than I wanted to spend as a poor college student, but carrying it with me on the Metro to my internship every day made me feel so grown up and glamorous. I’d love to find and purchase a real (vintage!) one, but I’m not sure if it was even a knock off of a real style (I’ve never seen such a bag from Kate Spade, though I haven’t looked too hard). That purse held such significance for me that, although I would never carry it or any other fake today, it still lives in the closet of my childhood bedroom. Every so often, I see it there, and it gives me warm and happy memories of my younger self.
I'm so happy you kept it...note re the knock-off style...I was reading an old piece in the Times and some of the bootleg styles were super egregious..."Kate Spude" or the label tacked onto Burberry print...maybe we will live in an era when old knock-offs become collectible!
Reminds me of Molly Shannon’s character in “Serendipity,” who tries to buy a “Prado” wallet off the street. My fake KS is nothing as egregious as that, but it is supposed to look like it’s made of leather, which, as you mentioned, Kate Spade didn’t use much. It’s pretty, though!
I still have my Kate Spade small backpack. I should dig it out and start using it!
Great piece, btw!
Bring it out!!! I just scooped a felt bag and a nylon piece
I'm in retail in the Accessories Department. When Kate Spade passed away, it seemed like every woman stopped at the handbag section and wanted to talk about what handbags they had and what it was like to buy your first Kate Spade back in the day. It was sweetly sad.
Ah! It was tough to read a lot of the pieces on her...a true force and visionary.
This collab »
I was so happy to see this collaboration with UO! Thank you for your thoughtful words on the brand and the looks that started the company. I was on the design team at KSNY for many years and still have friends there. We put the Sam back in the line for the 25th anni but I think it was a bit try-hard looking, it lost the simplicity feeling, but I see the black logo tag is back now! - I am forever on the hunt for the Sam in linen/cotton canvas that Gwyneth wore to the airport when she was dating Ben....so simple and seemingly the perfect summer satchel. If anyone comes across it please give me a shout!
Ditto to the Kate Spade x Gwyneth bag! I just scored a canvas Kate Spade bag that I'm excited to wear..The brand history is incredible...it must have been amazing to work on the team...! Were you there in the early '00s? I'm currently looking at the book "Contents".
I hope to see a photo of your Canvas KSNY bag in a future post! Congrats on your latest find! I was there in the 2010s until just before the Pandemic. I freelanced there in 2008 when I first moved to NYC, when the brand was in transition from Kate, Andy, & Elyce after they sold to Liz Claiborne INC. I was so excited to be in those offices...my first day they didn't have an open desk for me so they put me in Andy's office. I sat at his desk and sketched while nervously looking around at his amazing collection of art and interesting items. So cool you have access to the book Contents! I have only seen online photos of pages! Such a cool concept.
There is something so nostalgic about a Kate Spade bag. I bought mine at an outlet in 2015 and it’s still in great condition. Although I haven’t reached to wear it in years, I just can’t part ways with it!
Lovely piece! I use my moms Kate Spade tote that she purchased in NYC in the 90s for work now. Chicest bag I own!
The kate spade brand was so enchanting. I used to be obsessed with their dust bags that always has a cute quip on them. And her manners books too! They raised me. She really had her head on right and built such a female forward brand
I first heard of Kate Spade not via Vogue but through a Meg Cabot (Princess Diaries author) book in the early 2000s, I think the heroine had a Kate Spade backpack? Coveted it just based on the name lol but the next year I met a girl who actually did carry a KS bag, that nylon made a lot of sense as a student with sloppy student habits.
I am on a nylon SEARCH right now...the nylon bags are so good...also the sheen of them make the bag look so good...ps. I want the '90s market editor approved SAM bag....