Vault: Interview - Kate Spade

Summary

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The Bert Show – Vault: Interview with Kate Spade

Podcast: The Bert Show
Host: Pionaire Podcasting
Episode: Vault: Interview – Kate Spade
Date: October 31, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode revives a charming interview with the late designer Kate Spade, originally broadcast on Q100 in Atlanta as part of The Bert Show. The conversation spotlights Kate’s down-to-earth personality, the unique appeal of her iconic handbags, and her career journey from humble beginnings to becoming a household name. Listeners get an insider’s perspective on the allure behind the Kate Spade brand, spontaneous anecdotes from fans, and Kate's reflections on staying true to her vision as her company rapidly expanded.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kate’s Views on Atlanta & First Impressions

• Arrival in Atlanta: Kate shares her excitement about being back in the city, despite arriving late at night and having little time to explore ([02:23–02:44]).
  • Quote:
    "I haven't seen much this trip, though... I got in around midnight, so I'm kind of looking out my window at the city."
    (Kate Spade, 02:34)
• Atmosphere & Sights: She’s enamored with the city’s beauty and freshness:
  • "It smells beautiful here and the weather’s beautiful!"
    (Kate Spade, 02:44)

2. The Cult of the Kate Spade Bag

• Fan Dedication:
  A caller named Kayla relates a memorable anecdote about her roommate risking her safety during a fire alarm to rescue her beloved Kate Spade bag, affectionately called “Katie” ([03:05–03:48]).
  • Quote:
    "She refers to the bag as Katie and goes back into what we think is a burning building to get the bag."
    (Kayla, 03:23)
• Kate’s Reaction:
  Kate is amused and touched, promising to help out her devoted fans and advising safety over style.
  • "Next time just tell her I’ll send her anywhere if they get—That’s what I’ll tell her... Tell her to be safer next time."
    (Kate Spade, 03:50)

3. What Makes a Kate Spade Bag Special?

• Design Philosophy:
  Kate describes her approach as creating bags she personally wants—balancing style and practicality, avoiding designs that are “too fussy” or “not interesting enough” ([04:30–05:10]).
  • Quote:
    "I'm just designing things that I know I want to wear... something that seemed interesting, but also, you know, functional, elegant... just kind of all the things you want to feel, like, ladylike."
    (Kate Spade, 04:30)
• Addressing Real Women:
  She discusses how her collections are meant “for a real person,” someone who wants both romance and practicality.

4. Growth of the Brand & Fast-Tracking Success

• The “Momentum” Question:
  The host asks if the explosive popularity of Kate Spade bags surprised her. Kate shares that success felt gradual, but industry insiders saw it as lightning fast ([05:10–06:12]).
  • Quote:
    "For about two years, it was really, you know, we really just sold to a very few amount of stores... then as we started to grow and people started to see us... Elle magazine and Vogue magazine, you know, would do little stories and... I think that helped a lot."
    (Kate Spade, 05:28)

5. Expansion & Brand Philosophy

• Branching Out:
  Discussion turns to her expansion into other accessories and lifestyle products—stationery, fragrance, travel items—while resisting pressure to design clothing ([06:12–07:04]).
  • Quote:
    "I love all the things that surround [clothing] because I look at them as accessories... I'll leave the meat and potatoes to someone else. I like all the things that surround it."
    (Kate Spade, 06:26)
• Future Vision:
  Kate expresses interest in home goods (“sheets and towels”), reaffirming her passion for accessories and lifestyle pieces.

6. The Urban Legend: Kate Spade’s Start in NYC

• The Journey:
  The host retells the “urban legend” of Kate running out of money post-Europe and landing in New York, which Kate confirms ([07:22–08:24]).
  • Quote:
    "I went to Europe, actually, all by myself... I kind of stopped [in New York] to, you know, get a job and see what I wanted to do. And next thing I know, I was at Mademoiselle magazine. And that led me into the fashion world."
    (Kate Spade, 07:49)
• Humble Beginnings:
  She clarifies that she took a job in New York "just to stay long enough to buy a ticket home," but ultimately started her fashion career instead.

7. Personal Touches & Family Life

• Where’s Home?:
  Kate recounts her roots—growing up in Kansas City, going to college in Arizona, and finally settling in New York ([08:36–09:18]).
• Family Brands:
  On whether her family is “mandated” to carry her handbags:
  • "They're not mandated, but it's highly suggested."
    (Kate Spade, 08:54)
• Other Designers:
  Kate admits admiration for other designers but feels confident in her own creations:
  • "If I’m not wearing my own then I’m doing something wrong because that’s pretty much what I’m... designing for things that I... would like to see out there."
    (Kate Spade, 09:01)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ladylike but Real:
  "I think that’s a real person, and I’m trying to address kind of all the different things that I want. So hopefully there’s a response. You never know."
  (Kate Spade, 04:30–05:10)

• Home Accessories Vision:
  "Maybe home. I love the idea of home because, again, it’s accessories. We can do sheets and towels and, you know, all of that seems kind of great."
  (Kate Spade, 06:58)

• Legend Confirmed:
  "That's pretty much true... My husband, who's now in business with me, and also my friend Elise... All three of us were supposed to go and I ended up going by myself."
  (Kate Spade, 07:45)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 02:23: Kate greets Atlanta, shares her traveling tales
• 03:05: Hardcore fan Kayla recounts a “burning building” bag rescue
• 04:15: Host and Kate discuss what makes the bags special
• 05:10: Brand momentum and the role of magazine features
• 06:12: Expansion and avoiding the clothing route
• 07:22: Kate’s post-college journey to NYC
• 08:36: Kate’s roots, family, and carrying her own brand

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Episode Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is light, personal, and peppered with laughter, with Kate’s wit and humility shining throughout. She demystifies her brand’s appeal, centers the real needs of women, and candidly confirms “urban legends” about her path from midwestern beginnings to global fashion mogul. The Bert Show cast keeps the energy fun and convivial, making the episode a memorable window into the mind and manner of an iconic designer.

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Transcript

[Jeff Bridges]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts.

[Dana]

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[Jeff Bridges]

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[Radio Host]

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[Radio Host]

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[Jeff Bridges]

Bircha.

[Radio Host]

If you already don't have her bags, you know you want to get one. Here's kate spade on Q100 in the birch Show. How are you today?

[Kate Spade]

I'm very well. I'm glad to be here.

[Radio Host]

Is this your first trip to Atlanta?

[Kate Spade]

It isn't. You know what? Actually, this is my second trip to Atlanta.

[Radio Host]

How you like it here?

[Kate Spade]

I love it.

[Radio Host]

You kind of have to say that or nobody's gonna come out to see you.

[Kate Spade]

Right, Exactly. No, I haven't seen much this trip, though. I mean, we flew in late last night. I got in around midnight. So I'm kind of looking out my window at the city.

[Radio Host]

Yeah. Well, look what you brought with you.

[Caller/Kayla]

I know.

[Kate Spade]

And it was so pretty when we landed. I was like, oh, it smells beautiful here and the weather's beautiful. And I woke up and I was like, wait a minute.

[Radio Host]

Maybe I'm not in Atlanta. Hey, Kate, hold on one second. Before we even start this, and I introduce you to everybody.

[Caller/Kayla]

Yeah.

[Radio Host]

I have to put you on with what could be the most hardcore Kate Spade F. Good morning, Q100.

[Jeff Bridges]

Hello?

[Radio Host]

Hello, who's this?

[Kate Spade]

This is Kayla.

[Radio Host]

Kayla, you're on with Kate Spade.

[Kate Spade]

Hi, Kate. How are you?

[Jeff Bridges]

Hi, Kayla.

[Kate Spade]

Great. How are you? I'm good. I just want to tell you a story. My roommate's not in college. We love your bags, obviously. But one of my roommates had more than one of your bags. And one night, about 2 o' clock in the morning, the fire alarm goes off, so we think the building's on fire. We all rush out the door. And she gets out the door and goes, oh, my gosh, I have to go in and get Katie. So she refers to the bag as Katie and goes back into what we think is a burning building to get the bag. So I thought you might be interested in hearing that story. Well, I may repeat that one. Do you know they're going to affect these bags out?

[Jeff Bridges]

I'm serious.

[Radio Host]

Thank you for calling.

[Kate Spade]

That's amazing. Well, next time just tell her I'll send her anywhere if they get. That's what I'll tell her. She actually worked in a boutique so that she could get the discount on the bag. That is too funny. Well, tell her to be safer next time.

[Radio Host]

Thank you for calling. What is it about these bags that, I mean, that have separated them from others, that people will go back into a Burning building for.

[Kate Spade]

I don't know. It sounds. It's. You know what? I just. I can't imagine. That's just amazing.

[Radio Host]

Well, you must have kind of some sense of why these are so popular right now. Like, what. What is the difference between a Kate Spade bag and another one?

[Kate Spade]

Oh, you know, I don't know. I think. It is hard for me to answer because I think the way I'm. I'm just designing things that I know I want to wear. And I think that a lot of times in the designer market, there are things that are too, you know, too fussy or too complicated or there are things that aren't interesting enough. So I wanted to do something kind of right in between. Something that seemed interesting, but also, you know, functional, elegant. You know, just kind of all the things you want to feel, like, ladylike. Well, ladylike. And then think about the real. You know, one minute you want to wear a satin, beautiful shoe, and the next minute you want to wear a flip flop. So I think that's a real person, and I'm trying to address kind of all the different things that I want. So hopefully there's a response. You never know.

[Radio Host]

Could you feel like the momentum building of this thing? Because it always. Trends really interest me. Like, somebody had to be the first to look so cool with a Kate Spade bag that they told two friends, and so on and so on and so on. Did this thing just happen way faster than you had anticipated?

[Kate Spade]

You know, it doesn't. Well, the first person was probably my mother, first of all, because she may have been the only one that was willing to do it at the beginning. But I don't know. You know, for me, it didn't seem like it was fast, but someone was saying to me the other day, okay, Kate, in the industry, it's relatively fast because for about two years, it was really, you know, we really just sold to a very few amount of stores. And someone said, oh, is that because you wanted to? And I said, no, I didn't really have a choice at the beginning. It was just a little slower and really, pretty much only in New York. And then as we started to grow and people started to see us, and really, I would say there was a lot of editorial credit. Elle magazine and Vogue magazine, you know, would do little stories and, you know, feature our bags. And I think that helped a lot, actually.

[Dana]

Now you've expanded. I mean, you've expanded so much. Stationary to fragrances, to travel stuff to.

[Radio Host]

There's an ice show and a cartoon on the weekend.

[Dana]

Seriously, what's next.

[Kate Spade]

Everyone keeps, you know, what about clothing? Clothing? And I can't imagine doing it. And here I'll be on, you know, radio saying. But I really don't imagine doing it because to me, that's kind of. I love all the things that surround it because I look at them as accessories. So, you know, shoes and eyewear and bags and beauty, they're all kind of the things that surround it. I'll leave the meat and potatoes to someone else. I like all the things that surround it. If I go in for a pair of pants, I end up looking for jewelry. So it's hard for me to imagine doing clothing. So I don't imagine that maybe home. I love the idea of home because, again, it's accessories. We can do sheets and towels and, you know, all of that seems kind of great.

[Dana]

Seriously, go kick Martha Stewart's butt, please.

[Kate Spade]

I think that'd be hard to do.

[Radio Host]

There's one of those boxing, celebrity boxing matches.

[Kate Spade]

It'd be hard to do.

[Radio Host]

Oh, yeah. You'd rock her world.

[Hannah Burner]

Are you kidding me?

[Dana]

Everybody voting for you. You're so much cuter.

[Kate Spade]

Yeah, no, she wouldn't even take a match with me.

[Radio Host]

Kate Spade gonna be in town today at the Neiman Marcus at Lenox Square from 12:30 to 1:30. The urban legend about you, and either confirm this or deny this, is that after college you were attending, what, Arizona State or Arizona asu. Yep, asu. You flew to New York, then from New York out to Europe and you were partying and hanging out and doing the post college Europe thing.

[Kate Spade]

Right.

[Radio Host]

And on your way back to Arizona, you ran out of cash and ended up in New York.

[Kate Spade]

That's pretty much true. Even though it has become, you know, where the, you know, it became. You know, I ended up with a quarter and I couldn't get back from the airport. But it is true, I did. I went to Europe, actually, all by myself. My husband, who's now in business with me, and also my friend Elise, who is also one of my partners. All three of us were supposed to go and I ended up going by myself. And Elise likely had an apartment in New York. And I, you know, kind of stopped there to, you know, get a job and see what I wanted to do. And next thing I know, I was at Mademoiselle magazine. And that led me into the fashion world.

[Radio Host]

Because the legend is, is that you had no money to get from New York to Arizona, so you took a temp job.

[Kate Spade]

No, no, no, that is true. I mean, I was going to save and Get a job and see how long I'd stay in New York. Enough just to get an airline ticket and see what I wanted to do. No, I didn't. That is true. I did not.

[Commercial Announcer]

Where's home to you?

[Kate Spade]

Like where were you born and raised? Originally? Kansas City, Missouri. Still have some family there and then lived in Arizona for about maybe two or three years and graduated school there and then moved to New York. So does everybody in your family, are they mandated to carry Kate Spade handbags? They're not mandated, but it's highly suggested. Okay, actually that's a good question.

[Dana]

That do carry other designers bags.

[Kate Spade]

And are you, I mean, you know, I do. I, you know, respect and think that there's some great things out there that I think, oh, I wish I'd thought of that. But no, I mean I figure if I'm not wearing my own then I'm doing something wrong because that's pretty much what I'm not just designing for myself, but I'm designing for things that I, I would like to see out there.

[Radio Host]

Well, Kate, enjoy Atlanta and thank you for joining with us.

[Kate Spade]

Thanks for having me on.

[Caller/Kayla]

Sure.

[Radio Host]

Appreciate it.

[Kate Spade]

Bye you guys.

[Radio Host]

Bye now.

[Jeff Bridges]

Here Bird show.

[Caller/Kayla]

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[Jeff Bridges]

Morning Zoe. Got donuts.

[Dana]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want T mobile commercial like you teach me. So Dana.

[Dana]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly AT T Mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate Pro camera system.

[Jeff Bridges]

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[Dana]

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[Jeff Bridges]

T Mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on.

[Radio Host]

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[Jeff Bridges]

So what are we having for launch?

[Dana]

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