Barneys VP and fashion director Amanda Brooks abruptly resigned this week to move to London to “further [pursue] other opportunities.” Brooks told WWD, “To be the fashion director of a store with such a unique and inspiring vision has always been a dream job. I have had the pleasure of working with an incredibly talented team but have resigned to temporarily relocate to England with my husband and children in the interest of further pursuing other opportunities. It is a personal decision and I will miss working with the Barneys team.”
It’s the second high-profile job in a row the fashion insider has exited after just a year. She arrived at Barneys in early 2011 from William Morris Endeavor, where she’d been made director of fashion in March 2010. Brooks’ latest exit — following what sources say was a bumpy run — is a seeming blow to CEO Mark Lee’s experiment in shaking things up by bringing in high-flying names from the fashion world, and some said there was recently “friction between the two.” Speculation is swirling over what Brooks’ next move might be. “There’s no way she doesn’t have her next move planned,” said a source, pointing out that Lucy Yeomans quit yesterday as UK Harper’s Bazaar editor for Net-a-Porter. “I think Amanda will edit a magazine over there. Her [‘I Love Your Style’] book, her connections and her Web savvy make her a really good choice. Plus to not have to buy someone out of a contract, or sponsor their visa, would be a plus.”
British Vogue’s site speculated that another possibility for Brooks could be a vacant post as a senior buyer for posh London department store Harvey Nichols. Brooks was criticized when she arrived at Barneys for having little retail experience. Sources further added that the work load and travel to the shows may have not agreed with Brooks, a mother of two, who’s married to artist Christopher Brooks. “It’s hard to do that job and travel four months of the year and have a family,” added an insider.
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