At which magazine did Kate Spade work before starting her brand?

Before starting her brand, Kate Spade worked at Mademoiselle magazine.

She joined the magazine’s accessories department after moving to New York in the mid-1980s. By the time she left in 1991, she had risen to senior fashion editor and head of accessories, gaining detailed knowledge of how women selected and used handbags.

That experience helped spark her business idea. Spade noticed a gap between highly fashionable designer bags and more practical, affordable everyday options. She researched fabrics, shapes, construction, and manufacturing costs, then began developing prototypes with Andy Spade.

The couple launched their handbag company in 1993, initially presenting six versions of the Sam bag. Mademoiselle is sometimes confused with Vogue, Cosmopolitan, or Harper’s Bazaar because all are major fashion magazines, but Mademoiselle was the publication where Spade worked before founding her namesake label.