Cathy Horyn Resigns From The New York Times, Ending Several Eras

UPDATE: The New York Times has released an official statement confirming that "Cathy's reasons for leaving are personal ones, to spend more with her partner, Art Ortenberg, who has had health problems, and whom she feels would benefit greatly from her increased presence at home."

You can read the whole letter at Fashionista, but it is essentially the highest praise for someone who was truly a leader for all fashion journalists and one of the paper's most recognized voices. "Cathy will be sorely missed by all of us in Styles and by the paper as a whole," the statement reads. "But she is not leaving us completely: She will continue to work on a project that is dear to her heart: A book to be published by Rizzoli that chronicles how The New York Times has covered fashion from the 1850s to the first decades of the 21st century. No doubt it will be a great read."

Originally published at 11:15 AM: As Gawker previously noted, The New York Times has been bleeding people for a while. But, perhaps the most pronounced and rippling of these departures is the exit of longtime fashion critic Cathy Horyn. WWD reports that the paper will announce her resignation today, and it has been confirmed by a spokesperson.

Note that this is a resignation, not a retirement. According to WWD, it is "understood" that she wants to spend more time traveling. We're not going to make any speculation over what (and where) is next for her, but it's worth noting that her current job title actually includes quite a bit of travel as it is.

We'll keep you posted with new information, but we can already say that this is a pretty major moment in the fashion industry. Horyn has been both lambasted and praised, but her position as an expert has never once been questioned. As more and more print veterans move toward digital, though, we have to wonder if that isn't a factor in this monumental decision. Either way, with the Times or without it, we're betting Horyn still has a permanent seat in the front row for Fashion Week. (WWD)