Famous name fashion retailer files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Brooke Lanier Rodd followed a pretty unique career trajectory. She began as a music industry executive.

"Brooke is a born and raised New Yorker. She began working as a young girl in the family business at The Hit Factory Recording Studio in NYC and later moved on to a prominent career as an executive in A&R and Music Contracts, working at Arista Records for Clive Davis. During this time, she headed up A&R admin for Alicia's Keys' first record alongside Peter Edge," she shared on her website.

In her music career, she also had a run at Island Def Jam under Lyor Cohen. During those years, she worked with an impressive list of artists, including Carly Simon, Pharrell Williams, Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Melissa Etheridge, Bon Jovi, LL Cool J, Redman, Method Man, DMX, Kings of Leon, and Patti Smith.

From music, she moved into fashion photography, taking pictures of many of the artists she worked with on the music side.

"As the music business changed, Brooke began photographing many of the talented musical artists she was working with.

"Eventually she found herself in the NYC world of fashion photography and through styling her photo shoots, she soon realized her true passion was none of the above," according to her bio.

That led her to Los Angeles, where her retail brand, Brooke Rodd, was born.

"Brooke is driven by a lifelong appreciation for effortless style and straight-up fun. She spent her weekends as a young woman scouring NYC's Chelsea flea market for vintage coats and unique treasures, and you can feel that energy throughout all of her shops as they instantly transport you into her world of colorful, humorous, and never too serious inspirations. From women’s clothing to jewelry to homewares to kids and to babies, there is something for everyone," her site shared.

Rodd's brand, however, has now filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Brooke Rodd files for Chapter 11

"Brooke Rodd has filed for bankruptcy. The company filed a Chapter 11 Subchapter V petition, the streamlined reorganization option for small businesses. It says the aim is to restructure debt and keep its Santa Monica store open," WhatNow reported.

The bankruptcy filing was due to a significant imbalance in its assets and liabilities, according to the filing.

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"The filing asks the court to approve a reorganization plan so the business can pay creditors while staying open. The company says the plan will allow it to continue operating during reorganization," according to WhatNow.

Brooke Rodd has assets between $100,000 and $500,000. However, the liabilities are between $500,000 and $1 million, with 1-49 creditors. The petition was filed under Subchapter V, the small-business Chapter 11 track.

Brooke Rodd Chapter 11 bankruptcy at a glance

• Brooke Rodd Designs LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on November 11, 2025.

• The case number is 2:25-bk-20061, filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.

• The filing is under Subchapter V, which is the streamlined reorganization process for small businesses.

• Brooke Rodd Designs reports having assets between $100,000 and $500,000, and liabilities between $500,000 and $1 million.

• The number of creditors is reported to be between 1 and 49.

• Despite the bankruptcy filing, the company intends to continue operating and keep its Santa Monica store open.

• The court has set a meeting of creditors (341 meeting) for December 10, 2025.

• The business is represented in court by attorney Michael Jay Berger, based in Beverly Hills. Source: BKalerts, Inforuptcy

Small business Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings are rising

The number of distressed small businesses electing to file for subchapter V of chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code increased 17% to 200 in September from the 171 registered in August 2024, according to data provided by Epiq AACER.

“Notably, we are witnessing the longest sustained increase in total open case inventory since 2008 — a clear indicator of shifting financial pressures. Looking ahead, we expect this upward trend to persist into 2026, as bankruptcy protection filings return to pre-pandemic levels. Key factors contributing to future uncertainty include the impact of tariffs, the resumption of student loan obligations, and interest rates,” Epiq AACER Vice President Michael Hunter said in a press release.

It has been a challenge for some retailers to get some vendors onboard to support their turnaround efforts.

"Retailers are frequently finding it difficult to drum up creditor support for reorganization plans, especially when inventory can so often be sold relatively quickly and at attractive prices," a report from ICSC showed.

Brooke Rodd has not shared a financial plan for its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The creator shows a holiday sales preview on her LinkedIn and other social media pages. At the time of the filing, the chain operated three stores.

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This story was originally published by TheStreet on Nov 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.