Rebecca Minkoff Says She ‘Wasn’t Shocked at All’ by Brynn Whitfield’s Exit from Real Housewives of New York City

Minkoff, who was on the long-running series as a Friend for season 15, also shared her take on the rumors that ‘Summer House’ star Lindsay Hubbard will join the series

Rebecca Minkoff isn’t surprised Brynn Whitfield has decided to leave The Real Housewives of New York City.

The fashion designer exclusively tells PEOPLE at the Tuesday, June 10, premiere of the new documentary, A Man With Sole: The Impact Of Kenneth Cole, that Whitfield’s departure didn’t take her by surprise.

“I wasn’t shocked at all,” Minkoff, 44, says. “I think that was in the cards before she even said she was leaving.”

The designer’s comments follow Whitfield’s Monday, June 9 announcement that she was walking away from RHONY.

Rebecca Minkoff on June 10, 2025 in New York City. Hatnim Lee/Getty
Whitfield, 39, posted a lengthy statement to her Instagram Stories, saying she made the decision to leave the series, which she added will “always be one of the most fun, chaotic, and magical chapters of my life.”

“It was the honor of a lifetime to help reboot such an iconic franchise,” she explained. “From day one, I’ve believed RHONY is a fan’s show — we’re just temporary custodians of something that truly belongs to the viewers.”

She said that despite her exit from RHONY, she’s “just getting started” and noted that she’s working on her podcast, Please See Below and the dating app she co-founded, Hoppy.

In the explosive season 15 finale and its subsequent two-part reunion, the season-long tension between Whitfield and costar Ubah Hassan finally came to a head.

As the cast vacationed in Puerto Rico, Whitfield told her castmates that she was upset with Hassan for implying Whitfield “slept with someone” to get a role on the Bravo series. She also noted Hassan, 41, said this after Whitfield confided in her about her prior sєxual assault. Hassan then confronted Whitfield, and the latter remarked that Hassan possibly didn’t remember Whitfield’s revelation.

Jenna Lyons, Brynn Whitfield and Erin Lichy on “Real Housewives of New York City”.Bravo/YouTube
Before Whitfield’s recent announcement, Minkoff revealed on Tuesday, Feb. 4, that she was exiting the Bravo series — which was also the airdate of the last part of the RHONY season 15 reunion.

“2025 is a new beginning for me and with current events in the world, I am reminded the importance of family, friends and community now more than ever,” Minkoff wrote in an Instagram post.

Minkoff, who joined the long-running series as a friend for season 15, tells PEOPLE that she will miss the “shared bond between the women.”

“We had a lot of fun together, and I made some great friends out of it. So I’ll miss that,” she says at the Tuesday, June 10 premiere. Adding, “I’ll miss the excitement of the fans and meeting them; that was all incredible.”

Brynn Whitfield on July 12, 2023 in New York City.Michael Loccisano/Getty
While Minkoff has departed — and isn’t shocked by Whitfield’s exit — she exclusively tells PEOPLE her hopes for the season 16 casting. She says she’s “crossing her fingers” that the rumors that Summer House star Lindsay Hubbard will join the series are true.

“She’s great TV,” Minkoff says of the fellow Bravo star. “So bring what the fans want.”