Kate Brosnahan Spade, an accessories editor at
Mademoiselle, was
frustrated she couldn’t find the
fashionable, utilitarian handbag she’d
been craving
for years. She set out to design the perfect one.


Working from her apartment, Kate made samples out
of
construction paper. She combined sleek shapes and
colorful palettes
in an entirely new way. Six versions
of a bag called Sam debuted in
1993 to rave
reviews—sparking an accessories revolution.