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Kate Spade Just Changed Her Name: Find Out What It Is!

Kate Spade
Kate SpadeDaniel Zuchnik/WireImage

That's commitment! The real-life Kate Spade, who founded the eponymous brand, is ready to make a big change. To support her latest venture, Frances Valentine, the designer has officially changed her name to Kate Valentine.

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"We're not trying to be cheeky or coy," the designer told Business of Fashion. "It really was to distinguish the name, and separate the two worlds. Obviously we're super proud of Kate Spade [New York] and we want to be respective [sic] of both."

And as it turns out, Valentine is indeed not just a cute choice (or a reference to the new label's February 2016 launch). "Valentine was my mom's dad's middle name because he was born on Valentine’s Day," Valentine told Women's Wear Daily last November. Frances, she said, comes from her father's side.

Looking forward to what the new year holds… #fvalentine

A post shared by Frances Valentine (@fvalentineny) on

Valentine and her husband, Andy Spade, parted ways with the Kate Spade brand — which offers bags, shoes, clothing, tech accessories and more — nine years ago. Since then, Deborah Lloyd has served as the label's president and chief creative officer.

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Frances Valentine will focus on shoes, though a few bags will be available upon its launch too.

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