Fashion drama series “Bella From Barneys” received a series order from Amazon MGM Studios with Fake Empire’s Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage set to create, executive produce and showrun.
“Bella from Barneys” will follow Bella Baldwin, described as an outer-borough outsider with an eye for style, who lands a job in the stock room of the newly revived Barneys New York.
She talks her way into becoming a personal shopper to a top socialite client and is pulled into the cutthroat world of fashion, family secrets and into the orbit of the heir fighting to save the family business, according to the series logline.
“We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Amazon and are excited for what’s ahead,” said Schwartz and Savage. “The response to ‘Sterling Point’ has been incredibly gratifying, and we’re so happy to be returning for a second season alongside creator Megan Park and producing partners LuckyChap.”
“At the same time, the opportunity to build the fictional world of Barneys is a dream for us. Barneys was more than a store; it was a New York institution, a cultural touchstone, and a world unto itself,” the co-creators added. “We’re so excited to open those doors along with our partners at Authentic Brands Group, and our fellow producers Susan Rovner and Rachel Kaplan, who we have worked with since the beginning of our careers.”
The series order comes as part of Fake Empire’s extended first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios, which they inked in 2024. “Bella From Barneys” will exclusively stream on Prime Video.
Schwartz and Savage collaborated on Prime Video’s summer YA hit “Sterling Point.” They will return for Season 2 as co-showrunners and executive producers for the series with creator Megan Park.
The duo are also in pre-production on Paramount+’s upcoming series “Clueless,” starring and executive produced by the ’90s film’s star Alicia Silverstone. Their other credits include “Gossip Girl,” “The O.C.,” the “Nancy Drew” franchise and The CW’s “Dynasty” reboot.
The drama series will revive the since closed Barneys New York department store. The retailer served as a fixture of Manhattan culture but closed in February 2020 after filing for bankruptcy. The department store was acquired by Authentic Brands in 2019. Authentic Studios, a division of Authentic Brands Group, will produce this series.
“Josh and Stephanie at Fake Empire have this rare gift for creating worlds that feel both electric and cozy all at once, and ‘Bella from Barneys’ is a perfect example,” Peter Friedlander, head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, said. “Barneys New York was more than a department store — it was a fashion institution, and when it closed, people genuinely mourned it. This series brings it roaring back to life in all its impossibly chic glory.
Aha Studios’ Susan Rovner and Absecon Entertainment’s Rachel Kaplan serve as executive producers, alongside Corey Salter, Colin Smeeton, and Matthew Gross, who executive produce on behalf of Authentic Studios.
