Kate Spade began in 1993 when Kate Spade designed a simple yet functional handbag she had been seeking. Her designs featuring crisp colors and clever details were beloved by women. Over time, the brand established itself with classic silhouettes and graphic elements. In 2007, Kate and Andy sold the company and new leadership aimed to broaden the line while honoring Kate's legacy. The brand seeks to empower women to express their unique style with charm and rebellion. Recommendations are made to leverage the public personas of current Creative Director Deborah Lloyd and brand stylist Brad Goreski to build the brand story and connect more with customers.

1. lauren sharp & sona martirosian
nyu ms integrated marketing
brand strategy

2. in 1993, kate spade designed
the utilitarian handbag
she’d been craving for years
but hadn’t been able to find.
and so began a revolution
in the accessories market.
simple silhouettes sprang
to life with crisp palettes and
clever details, women and
fashion editors alike fell for
the designs. and the company
grew (and grew, and grew).
over time, core values were
reinforced by classic shapes
and modern graphic
elements, establishing a visual
shorthand for the brand
recognizable the world over.

3. in 2007, after kate and andy
sold the company to
liz claiborne, the reigns were
turned over to deborah lloyd,
formerly of banana republic
and burberry, who took the helm
as president and chief
creative officer with an aim to
broaden the line while
honoring kate’s rich history.
craig a. leavitt, of theory
and ralph lauren, joined shortly
thereafter as chief executive
officer to realize the global
potential of the brand and lead
the development of all
commercial aspects.

4. key competitors

5. kate spade new york draws women into a world that's CULTURALLY
CURIOUS, INTELLECTUALLY ALIVE, and GLOWING WITH IRRESISTIBLE
ALLURE. there are stories to capture the IMAGINATION, and dramas to
unfold. kate spade new york encourages women to star in their own lives.
to BE COURAGEOUS. to INDULGE THEIR MANY PASSIONS. to tune out
the noise of fashion fads and mediocrity in all its forms. kate spade new
york is the brand that helps women express their own PERSONAL STYLE
with INCANDESCENT CHARM and a DASH OF REBELLION.
kate spade mission statement

6. kate spade new york is:
COURAGEOUS
BOLD
CHARMING
CLEVER
OPTIMISTIC
PLAYFUL
CHIC
PASSIONATE
SPIRITED
CULTURALLY
CURIOUS
ASPIRATIONAL
QUIRKY

7. attributes:
• colorful
• graphic prints
• timeless
• quality
• multi-category lifestyle brand
• unique
• utilitarian (handbags)
• fashionable
benefits:
• self expression
• establishes a distinct personal style
• easy- variety of product lines allows you to put together a look head to toe in a style
you love
• feel like you’re part of the brand’s culture…you are the “kate spade girl”

8. an exuberant approach to the everyday
kate spade new york combines a playful, sophisticated personal style with high quality
and long-lasting utility for the young professional fashionista.

9. the kate spade new york girl

10. the kate spade new york girl is:

11. she has wallpapered the
rental apartment

12. she has seven dollars in
change at the bottom of her bag

13. she believes in bold color, good shoes, her gold lame`
pencil skirt and stripes

15. in store
website
print
outdoor
email
social media
TOUCH POINTS

16. products

17. store

18. print / outdoor

19. social media

20. e-mail

21. strengths
• strong brand image
• consistent message
• clear understanding of their
customer
• breath of product lines
weaknesses
• no real heritage/brand story
• association with lower
performing brands through
Fifth and Pacific can hurt
brand image

22. black & white
social media presence
industry trends
dress for less

23. recommendations
build kate spade’s brand story around
deborah lloyd and brad goreski
• as brand stylist brad goreski works
with kate spade creative director
deborah loyd to style press events,
fashion presentations, ad campaigns, and
shoots for their website.
•brad: before signing on with kate spade,
brad rose to fame as rachel zoe’s assistant
on her reality show the rachel zoe project
and has since starred in his own reality
spin off it’s a brad, brad world. brad has a
strong social media presence with over
240K twitter followers.
•deborah: before kate spade deborah was
the creative director of banana republic for
six years, and worked at burbarry prior to
that. athough not known in the mainstream
media, deborah is well respected in the
fashion world
•leverage brad goreski’s prominent
public persona and deborah lloyd’s
fashion expertise to create the face
behind the playful yet sophisticated
style of kate spade
tactics
• posts on the kate spade blog by brad and deborah
• interviews with prominent fashion web sites
• create content for kate spade social profiles
• posts about kate spade on their social profiles
• email campaign featuring messages from brad and
deborah
• guest appearances on fashion related programming
like the Fashion Police on E!