Kate Spade’s death officially confirmed as suicide by hanging by New York medical examiner

New York City’s chief medical examiner has ruled fashion designer Kate Spade’s death a suicide by hanging.

The determination was released Thursday, two days after the 55-year-old Spade was found dead in her Park Avenue flat.

A housekeeper discovered her body in her bedroom. Police say she left a note that pointed to “a tragic suicide”.

Spade’s husband and business partner, Andy Spade, has said she suffered from depression and anxiety for many years.

He said in a statement Wednesday that his wife was seeing a doctor regularly and was taking medication to treat her disease. He said she “sounded happy” the night before and her death was a complete shock.