On July 21, 2026, Jonathan Saunders was named executive creative director of Kate Spade New York, opening a new chapter for a brand built upon colour, femininity and a distinctly New York sense of humour.
On July 21, 2026, Jonathan Saunders was named executive creative director of Kate Spade New York, opening a new chapter for a brand built upon colour, femininity and a distinctly New York sense of humour.
July 21, 2026
Effective August 26, Jonathan Saunders will oversee product design and the broader visual identity of the Tapestry-owned house. The role extends beyond clothing and accessories, giving him influence over the campaigns, imagery and creative atmosphere through which Kate Spade presents itself to the world.
The appointment brings together two creative languages that already appear closely aligned. Jonathan Saunders has spent more than two decades exploring colour, pattern and modern femininity across his own label and roles at Alexander McQueen, Pucci, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein and & Other Stories. His work frequently allows brightness to remain sophisticated, balancing expressive prints with controlled silhouettes and clear graphic structure.
Those instincts could offer Kate Spade exactly the kind of renewal it currently needs. Colour has always been central to the brand, yet its identity depends on more than cheerful palettes or playful handbags. The appeal lies in the tension between polish and wit, where a disciplined shape can carry an unexpected detail without losing its elegance.
Jonathan Saunders enters during a period of commercial pressure, as Kate Spade works to reconnect its established identity with younger customers. Brand president and CEO Eva Erdmann has described the designer as someone capable of translating the house’s optimism and humour into a contemporary creative language.
For Jonathan Saunders, the challenge will involve preserving the emotional familiarity of Kate Spade while giving its products a stronger sense of discovery. The brand remains widely recognised, although recognition alone cannot sustain excitement. Its next phase will depend on whether familiar codes can acquire sharper proportions, more persuasive styling and a visual world that once again invites curiosity.
Within his work, colour establishes rhythm, mood and structure, allowing femininity to appear lively without becoming overly sweet. Kate Spade already possesses optimism. Jonathan Saunders may give that optimism greater precision.
