Is Kate Spade A Luxury Brand? Everything You Need To Know
Kate Spade is one of the top American fashion brands, but is Kate Spade a luxury brand? We are going to take a closer look at this fashion house to answer that question!
Kate Spade New York is a popular and beloved brand, with a wide range of womenswear clothing, bags, accessories, and even homewares on offer, each with the signature fun and vibrant Kate Spade style. If you want to know a little more about the brand, we are going to explore the Kate Spade label in order to answer the question, is Kate Spade a luxury brand?
Some may consider Kate Spade to be luxury because of the stunning range of products available and the luxe leather look of the bags and wallets from the brand, while others may not see Kate Spade as luxury because of the more affordable price tags.
We will look at the history of Kate Spade, the quality of the products, and some of the best-selling pieces from this fashion house before coming to a conclusion on the question, is Kate Spade a luxury brand?
Is Kate Spade a Luxury brand?
The history of Kate Spade
Kate Spade New York was initially founded by American fashion designer Kate Spade and her husband Andy Spade in 1993 in New York City. Kate began her life in the fashion world as a style editor at Mademoiselle magazine but left to create her own handbag line under the Kate Spade name.
These colorful handbags with practical designs became wildly popular in the early 1990s and caused the brand to grow throughout the decade and into the 2000s in the mid-2000s, more lines were added to the label, including clothing, perfume, shoes, and stationery.
The popularity of all Kate Spade products has meant that there are now Kate Spade stores all over the world, and the brand is stocked in department stores too, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The brand is also very keen on empowering young women and girls all over the world, with a particular focus on mental health, and is currently working on becoming more sustainable so Kate Spade is a fantastic brand to add to your wardrobe.
The Quality of Kate Spade
To determine whether Kate Spade is a luxury brand, we need to take a look at the quality of Kate Spade products – this includes taking a closer look at the price range, materials, and craftsmanship.
Before we start, it’s worth noting the product range available from Kate Spade, so you can gain a better idea of the products available from the designer brand. The Kate Spade label offers clothing, shoes, bags, wallets, jewelry, watches, tech accessories, hair accessories, scarves, sunglasses, fragrances, and homewares.
1. Price Range
Let’s begin with the price range of Kate Spade products. The handbags are one of the best sellers for the brand, ranging between $148 and $498, while wallets are available for between $68 and $328.
If we take a look at the clothes, which includes dresses, outerwear, swimwear, and sleepwear, these pieces retail for between $58 and $798, shoes are available from $48 to $398, while jewelry can be as affordable as $32, all the way up to $298.
As you can see, Kate Spade is pretty affordable compared to other luxury brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton, with all Kate Spade handbags available for under $500 and clothes retailing for under $1000.
2. Materials
Materials can give us a really good idea of the quality of an item, so let’s delve into the materials used in Kate Spade bags.
Many of the handbags are made from leather, including spazzolato leather, textured leather, pebbled leather, smooth leather, and embossed leather, but there are also PU, faux saffiano leather, coated canvas, and canvas bags available. We love that Kate Spade also uses some more unusual materials, such as recycled polyamide, recycled polyester, metallic plastic, tweed, jacquard fabric, straw, canvas, wicker, and PVC.
As you can see, there are some beautiful leather bags available, but the type of leather, such as calfskin or lambskin, is not always noted as you would find with brands such as Prada or Dior.
3. Craftsmanship
The final aspect when looking at quality is to consider the craftsmanship of the pieces. In the case of Kate Spade, the designer bags from the brand are made in America, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Italy.
As you can see there is quite a wide range of countries in which Kate Spade produces their products, with many of the leather bags being made in Italy or America to ensure a top-quality finish, while some of the other handbags are created in Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, with each bag finished to a high standard.
Top Kate Spade Bags and Wallets
There are lots of beautiful Kate Spade bags to choose from so we have brought together some of the best-sellers so you can easily find the right bag to suit not only your personal style but your lifestyle too!
1. Tote Bags
We love a practical Kate Spade tote, such as the all day large leather tote and color-block leather tote bag, each with a stunning look and functional design. The all day large leather tote bag has a sleek and minimalist look, with a cross-grain leather exterior and looping shoulder straps. The interior is spacious and fitted with a tethered pouch to keep any smaller items safe.
The Kate Spade color-block leather tote bag has more of an eye-catching look and is perfect for busy weekends. This beige and camel leather tote features a knotted top handle, then is embellished with a gold Kate Spade logo, plus this bag also comes with a detachable shoulder strap for versatility. The inside is super organized with a center zip pocket to divide the interior.
2. Shoulder Bags
We love the stylish and trendy look of the Kate Spade sam icon small recycled nylon shoulder bag, which is surprisingly roomy for its compact size! This black recycled nylon bag is a great option to take you from day to night and will suit a whole plethora of outfits, making it a must-have! The leather shoulder strap is adjustable while the interior is fitted with a zip pocket and slip pocket.
If you are looking for something a little more luxurious, then the evelyn small quilted leather shoulder bag is just what you need. This plush leather Kate Spade handbag has been quilted in a check pattern and then embellished with glittering gold hardware for a glam finishing touch. The sliding chain strap means you can style this bag on your shoulder or across the body.
3. Crossbody Bags
The on the go medium crossbody bag is the perfect everyday handbag, with a super practical exterior and lots of pockets to carry all your daily must-have items. This chic black designer bag is crafted from pebbled black leather, for a durable finish, with a zipper pocket on the front of the bag. The leather strap is adjustable and the interior of the bag is fitted with more pockets.
For a crossbody bag will a more fun look, the Kate Spade meringue leather crossbody bag is exactly what you need. This sumptuous leather bag has a drawstring top to create a pouch-like bag, the ideal size for evening out essentials, and then is fitted with a braided top handle and a removable crossbody strap. This luxe crossbody designer handbag is also available in bright pink if you fancy a pop of color.
4. Wallets
Kate Spade is also well known for beautiful wallets, that come in all different shapes and sizes so you are bound to find an option that will fit all your cards and cash, then slide into your handbag.
The Kate Spade small morgan slim leather bifold wallet has a sleek silhouette and minimalist look, crafted from high-quality leather and simply decorated with a gleaming gold Kate Spade logo. The interior is filled with plenty of card slots and slip pockets, while the back of the wallet is finished with a zip pocket.
Kate Spade’s morgan flower-embossed leather zip continental wallet has a more glamorous look, with the stunning, vibrant floral design decorating the front of the wallet. The zipper allows easy access to the roomy interior with a faille lining and is fitted with a central zip pocket to divide the interior, card slots, and bill compartments.
Conclusion
We love the gorgeous handbags, small leather goods, clothing, and homewares that Kate Spade offers, but the fashion house cannot be seen as a luxury brand. The lower price range and the materials and types of leather used in the designer bags mean Kate Spade sits in the list of affordable luxury brands, alongside brands such as Michael Kors and Tory Burch.
The craftsmanship of these handbags means they really deserve a place in your wardrobe and will stand the test of time, plus the wide range of practical designs, ideal for the modern woman, and lots of vibrant colors ensure there is something to suit any personal style.
We hope you found this article answering the question, is Kate Spade a luxury brand, helpful! For more luxury fashion content, check out the links below.
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