Kate Spade Found Dead of Apparent Suicide in NYC

“Kate and Andy were having relationship problems,” a source tells PEOPLE of the couple, who were parents to 13-year-old daughter Frances Beatrix.

Andy was looking to purchase a new apartment in New York City due to marital problems, according to The Blast, which also reported that Andy was shopping for a new one or two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan.

Andy, who is the brother of actor and comedian David Spade, was in the apartment at the time of his wife’s suicide while their daughter was at school, as reported by the Associated Press.

Police confirmed the designer was found hanging from a red scarf Tuesday morning in her bedroom at their Park Avenue home in Manhattan. The scarf had reportedly been tied to her door. A housekeeper discovered her, according to a police source, and she apparently left a suicide note.

Andy and Kate Spade

Andrew Toth/FilmMagic

In 2016, Kate sat down with PEOPLE for an intimate photo shoot at the home she shared with her husband and daughter, and shared the advice she wished she had taken at a younger age.

“Don’t rest on your laurels. The end result isn’t as important as the effort that goes into it. Jump all the way in. Don’t be afraid. And don’t worry so much,” she said. “My dad always says ‘Just float.’ He’s very zen. Not every little pebble is a boulder. And it’s kind of how I approached [my new brand]. I feel a little less nervous. I should be more nervous, but I’m not going to take it so crazily hopefully.”

Kate Spade and daughter Frances Beatrix

Desiree Navarro/WireImage

Kate Spade, née Katherine Noel Brosnahan, was the designer behind her successful namesake label, Kate Spade New York, which she co-founded in 1993 with her husband Andy.

The line began by designing its famously colorful handbags before expanding into other accessories and clothing, ultimately turning into a billion-dollar brand. Tapestry, Inc. bought Kate Spade in July 2017 for $2.4 billion.

Also in 2016, Kate shared the advice for working with your husband, telling PEOPLE, “Treat them as well as you would any other employee. What I mean is we need to respect one another as much as you do the other people in the office. I’ve had to learn to be as respectful.

As for their different personalities at work and at home, Kate said, “We just have different personalities. He’s more relaxed more of a risk taker and I’m a little more detailed and uptight neurotic.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).