Rebecca Minkoff Addresses Brynn Whitfield’s Exit from ‘Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis’ (Unique)

Rebecca Minkoff isn’t stunned Brynn Whitfield has determined to go away The Real Housewives of New York City.

The style designer solely tells PEOPLE on the Tuesday, June 10, premiere of the brand new documentary, A Man With Sole: The Influence Of Kenneth Cole, that Whitfield’s departure didn’t take her abruptly. 

“I wasn’t shocked in any respect,” Minkoff, 44, says. “I believe that was within the playing cards earlier than she even mentioned she was leaving.”

The designer’s feedback comply with Whitfield’s Monday, June 9 announcement that she was strolling away from RHONY. 

Whitfield, 39, posted a prolonged assertion to her Instagram Tales, saying she made the choice to go away the collection, which she added will “at all times be one of the enjoyable, chaotic, and magical chapters of my life.” 

“It was the distinction of a lifetime to assist reboot such an iconic franchise,” she defined. “From day one, I’ve believed RHONY is a fan’s present — we’re simply momentary custodians of one thing that actually belongs to the viewers.”

She mentioned that regardless of her exit from RHONY, she’s “simply getting began” and famous that she’s engaged on her podcast, Please See Below and the courting app she co-founded, Hoppy.

Within the explosive season 15 finale and its subsequent two-part reunion, the season-long stress between Whitfield and costar Ubah Hassan lastly got here to a head. 

Because the solid vacationed in Puerto Rico, Whitfield advised her castmates that she was upset with Hassan for implying Whitfield “slept with somebody” to get a job on the Bravo collection. She additionally famous Hassan, 41, mentioned this after Whitfield confided in her about her prior sexual assault. Hassan then confronted Whitfield, and the latter remarked that Hassan probably didn’t bear in mind Whitfield’s revelation. 

Earlier than Whitfield’s current announcement, Minkoff revealed on Tuesday, Feb. 4, that she was exiting the Bravo series — which was additionally the airdate of the final a part of the RHONY season 15 reunion.

“2025 is a brand new starting for me and with present occasions on the planet, I’m reminded the significance of household, mates and neighborhood now greater than ever,” Minkoff wrote in an Instagram publish.

Minkoff, who joined the long-running collection as a good friend for season 15, tells PEOPLE that she’s going to miss the “shared bond between the ladies.” 

“We had quite a lot of enjoyable collectively, and I made some nice mates out of it. So I’ll miss that,” she says on the Tuesday, June 10 premiere. Including, “I’ll miss the joy of the followers and assembly them; that was all unbelievable.” 

By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to remain up-to-date on the very best of what PEOPLE has to supply​​, from movie star information to driving human curiosity tales.

Whereas Minkoff has departed — and isn’t shocked by Whitfield’s exit — she solely 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 nice TV,” Minkoff says of the guy Bravo star. “So convey what the followers need.”