Ex-Gucci CEO in talks for Barneys CEO job-report

* Barneys CEO post open since Howard Socol's mid-2008 exit

* Mark Lee left Gucci president, CEO posts on Dec 31, 2008

LOS ANGELES Aug 5 (Reuters) - Luxury retailer Barneys New York is on the verge of hiring Gucci's former president and chief executive Mark Lee as its CEO, retail trade publication Women's Wear Daily said on Thursday, citing market sources.

Barneys spokesman Timothy Elliott declined to comment on the WWD report, which said that while a contract has not yet been signed, Lee "is the clear front-runner."

The CEO post at Barneys has been open since Howard Socol wrapped up his tenure at the end of June 2008. Lee stepped down as the leader of Gucci, a high-profile Italian luxury brand, on Dec. 31, 2008.

Dubai World [DBWLD.UL] unit Istithmar bought Barneys for $942 million in 2007. [ID:nLDE65G2CR] (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)