Kate Spade's Husband Speaks About Designer's Death

NEW YORK, NY — Kate Spade was being treated for anxiety and depression before her apparent suicide, which came as a "complete shock," her widower said. Andy Spade addressed the sudden death of his longtime creative and romantic partner for the first time in a statement published Wednesday.

"We are deeply heartbroken and miss her already," Spade said in the statement to The New York Times.

Kate Spade was found dead at 55 Tuesday morning in her Upper East Side apartment. She and Andy Spade launched her namesake handbag company in 1993.

The couple of 35 years had been living separately for 10 months, but they were not legally separated and had no plans for divorce, said Andy Spade, who is the brother of the actor David Spade.

Kate's sister, Reta Saffo, told the Kansas City Star that the designer had resisted treatment for her mental illness. But Andy Spade said she was "actively seeking help" over the last five years to treat her anxiety and depression, for which she was also taking medication.

The late designer "sounded happy" when the couple spoke the night before her death, Andy Spade said. She was not having any problems with her business, alcohol or other substances, he said.

"There was no indication and no warning that she would do this," Andy Spade said. "It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling."

Andy Spade denied a published rumor that Kate had been depressed because he wanted a divorce and she did not.

While they lived a few blocks apart, he said, they still saw each other or spoke every day, and continued to eat meals and vacation together with their 13-year-old daughter, Frances Beatrix Spade.

"We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how," Spade said. "We were together for 35 years. We loved each other very much and simply needed a break."

Police said Kate left a note before her death that was reportedly addressed to her daughter, whom Andy calls Bea. Andy said he had not seen the note, but was "appalled" that it had been "so heartlessly shared with the media."

Spade said he wants to protect Bea's privacy as she "deals with the unimaginable grief of losing her mother."

"Kate loved Bea so very much," he said.

Read Spade's full statement to The New York Times here.

Anyone struggling with mental health can get help by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visiting this website. New Yorkers can also find resources by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL.

(Lead image: Andy Spade and Kate Spade appear at an event in 2006. Photo by Matthew Peyton/Getty Images For American Express)