How Is Rachel Brosnahan Related to Late Fashion Designer Kate Spade?

When fashion designer Kate Spade passed away in 2018, the fashion and celebrity worlds were devastated. Known for her simple and charming designs, Kate was a breath of fresh air in an overly complicated fashion world that sometimes felt like it ignored people who enjoy fashion and practicality.

Kate left behind several family members, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actor Rachel Brosnahan. Here's how the two are related and how Kate's legacy lives on through famous family members.

Kate was found dead in her New York apartment in June of 2018. The cause of death was ruled to be suicide by hanging, and she left behind a suicide note addressed to her then-13-year-old daughter, telling her it was not her fault, according to CBS News.

Although she has been gone for nearly seven years, Kate still has a lasting impact in the fashion world and in the lives of those who loved her, including Rachel Brosnahan, who is Kate's niece on her mother's side.

During a 2025 Michael Kors fashion show, Rachel recalled her aunt and the way she impacted her life, telling E! News, "My fashion inspiration was my aunt. My aunt was the fashion designer, Kate Spade, and she was a huge inspiration to me in every sense. I love how she used color."

Rachel went on to say, "She was also one of the kindest, most generous people to ever walk the face of the Earth."

And this is not the first time Rachel has talked about her late aunt. In 2017, Rachel joked that she admires fashion "from afar," unlike her famous aunt. She told Women's Wear Daily in 2017, "People around me have said that I’ve inherited little pieces of Katie’s style. For example, I love a good shoe and a good bag.”

Of course, it's worth noting that Rachel isn't Kate's only celebrity family member. When Kate married a man named Andy Spade in 1994, she married into a family with a pretty big name already: David Spade.

Like with Rachel, people have speculated about how she and David are related through the years, but the truth is that they're only related by marriage, as David is Kate's brother-in-law.

When she died, Kate left behind many broken hearts. But Rachel, David, and everyone who loved her occasionally bring her memory back to the surface, reminding people that she was more than just a fashion icon and genius designer. She was a kind and loving person.

Kate's fashion designs endure to this day, and she continues to serve as an inspiration for young designers who are looking to marry luxury with sleek, classy practicality.

In a 2015 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Rachel shared, "One of Aunt Katie’s influences was my fabulous grandmother, June, who always had a closet full of amazing shoes and scarves and handbags."

Therefore, Kate's legacy extends not just into the future, but well into the past as well, down through several generations of talented people who love and honor her.