"I am truly grateful for the experience, the friendships and the fans that have been part of this RHONY chapter," the fashion designer said
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Rebecca Minkoff is saying goodbye to The Real Housewives of New York City.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the fashion designer and best-selling author announced she was exiting the long-running Bravo series, which she joined as a Friend for season 15.
"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, 42, wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.
She went on to explain that she has developed a "new perspective" over the last month and wants to focus on "my wildly amazing 4 kids, my supportive husband, my business of 20 years" and a slew of other projects including her podcast, Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff.
"I want to reprioritize the things that mean the most to me: designing, giving back, supporting women and raising my family," Minkoff said. "I am truly grateful for the experience, the friendships and the fans that have been part of this RHONY chapter."
"Time to turn the page," she said.
Minkoff's post came hours after her appearance on part 2 of the season 15 RHONY reunion, alongside Housewives Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield.
The co-founder of the Female Founder Collective was on the defense during the bulk of her time on the reunion, with Whitfield, 38, criticizing her for using the show to promote her brand rather than share things about her personal life.
An unseen clip of Minkoff on the show didn't help her case. Asked why she wanted to join the show, she said, "From the brand side, we're obviously well known and successful but during COVID, our business shrunk by 70%. So if I could use this as a vehicle to get it back, why not?"
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Host and Housewives executive producer Andy Cohen also asked Minkoff about her hesitance on the show to open up to the group about being a Scientologist.
"I was reluctant to discuss it," Minkoff noted. "I feel like in general, this subject with me and the show has been disrespected. It is a personal belief, it has helped me overcome depression, anxiety, be a better mom, be a better communicator, deal with the incredibly intense pressure of running a company. And then to get attacked for it? We're dealing in a time of being attacked for what we believe in."
"Some of the things said in confessionals really hurt," she added. "And I think that outside of the show, you get attacked all day. So I'm dealing with it from both ends."
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The entrepreneur, who is also Jewish, went on to explain that she felt as though her cast mates would only bring up Scientology as "clickbait" to get her "to react" rather than because they wanted "to know more."
"I'm happy to talk about it if I feel like I'm in a place where I can have an honest conversation," she said, as Lyons, 56, told her "we were all feeling like we didn't want to bring it up because it felt like it was a closed subject."
Before her exit, Cohen, 56, asked Minkoff how she felt about those who have called Scientology a cult.
"That is a bigoted term," Minkoff said. "It's hate-speech to keep calling a religion a cult. You wouldn't be asking me these questions about Christianity, [Islam], Judaism. I'm tired of the attacks and it's suddenly okay for this religion. It is not."
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She left the stage with an apology for those who were offended by the prank she and costar Lichy, 37, pulled earlier in the season in which they spread rumors that Minkoff was pregnant and she didn't know who the baby's father was.
"For anyone who I offended with my terrible prank, as someone who went through [infertility] myself, that was insensitive," said Minkoff. "I really apologize."
It is unknown whether Minkoff will be the only member of the RHONY cast to depart ahead of season 16. PEOPLE reached out to Bravo, but the network typically does not comment on casting.
Filming for the series is expected to start later this year.
Previous seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City can be streamed on Peacock.
