KATE SPADE

I collect books - a lot of books.

I'm admittedly not that into the Internet.

Before I came to New York, I only had a few pictures of the city in my mind. And you know 'That Girl?' Marlo Thomas jumping with her hat? I always loved that, and I wondered what that double street she crosses is. And it's Park Avenue! And that's what I can see out my window.

I love lamps. I can't stand overhead lighting. I have to have everything on a dimmer.

Every time I go to the market, Andy says, 'Don't forget the Triscuits!'

Being a mother adds an enormous amount of stress to your life. You need to make sure you're there for everything.

I find color optimistic and enthusiastic, and I adore it.

The best thing about being a business owner is that you get to run your own schedule.

Students were pulled aside to spend more time in art class, and I wasn't one of them.

Our family has dinner together every night - you can tell that my daughter wants to run. After dinner, I go up to my room and immediately put on my pajamas. I mean, immediately. I read some things that I haven't read yet, and I jump into bed.

I buy so much fake jewelry, it's funny. It's not real. I don't wear real diamonds or anything.

I was preppy, then suddenly switched around age 14. I asked my mother to go to this vintage store, and she let me buy a leopard swing coat, pink cigarette pants, and lime-green gloves.

Sometimes I shoot out of bed like it's a relay race, and I'm on the phone, leaving voice mails.

If I run, I'm much healthier - I run on a treadmill.

I do things that I actually love and understand.

If you're as honest and fair as you can be, not only in business but in life, things will work out.

I remember someone once said there is a practical aspect to my designs, and I remember thinking, 'That doesn't sound so creative,' but that is actually the truth. There is a practicality to it. I don't design just to design. There is a reason and, hopefully, an interesting reason behind it - that is where my creativity comes in.

I love beauty.

I like my stationery to be funnier, like, 'Here's my note, and it's an elephant with a lady smoking a cigarette on top.'

People have this impression that I'm a little kooky, but I'm actually very OCD. I love order and organization. I'm a big list maker. But if I cross off too many tasks, and it's hard to see the remaining ones, I have to start a new list. Now that's OCD.

No one realizes how hard parenthood is. I am not saying going into the office is easy. It's not. But parenthood, as fun as it is, is not for the fainthearted.

I loved fashion, I really did, but I was not obsessed with it. I wanted to be behind the scenes, like in that movie 'Broadcast News.' Holly Hunter - her I wanted to be.

I didn't grow up thinking, 'Oh, I'm going to be a designer.'

My mother was very good at encouraging me to dress however I wanted to dress. My sisters would sometimes think, 'Oh my God, you let her buy that fuzzy leopard coat at that vintage store?' I thought, of course, I looked like Audrey Hepburn.

I hope that people remember me not just as a good businesswoman but as a great friend - and a heck of a lot of fun.