Barneys to Drop Prada, Get Makeover

Since Mark Lee took the helm as CEO at Barneys New York, he's implemented a number of major staffing changes (including moving Simon Doonan off his post as creative director), but only recently has he started divulging his major initiatives for the forward-thinking department store in the new year. A new WWD report, however, outlines three of his major plans:

One: No More Prada.

The chain is dropping Prada bags and ready-to-wear from its shelves pretty much immediately, replacing it with the line Velextra, a Barneys exclusive. Sources tell Fashionista that the shift apparently has more to do with a leasing agreement than anything else.

Two: The Madison outpost is getting a makeover.

The flagship's renovation will apparently include the entire main floor (expected to be completed by November), as well as the Co-op floor, where the men's and women's sections will now become connected. The store will also be outfited with new black awnings.

Three: A new campaign will highlight the store's "backstage" elements.

The "Backstage" campaign is set to be unveiled in this Sunday's edition of The New York Times and is rendered entirely in black and white. The whole "behind the scenes" concept will apparently extend to a microsite Lee plans to launch on barneys.com called "The Window," which, according to WWD, "will highlight new developments at the store."

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