One in every of fashion’s biggest query marks has been answered: On Saturday, Gucci announced that Sabato De Sarno would join the brand as creative director. De Sarno, who was the Fashion Director at Valentino, takes the spot two months after the surprise departure of Alessandro Michele last November, after being plucked from the home’s own atelier in 2015 to steer Gucci to record profits and a geek-chic aesthetic that permeated popular culture far beyond fashion’s typical reach.
“I’m deeply honored to tackle the role as Creative Director of Gucci,” De Sarno said within the press release. “I’m proud to affix a House with such a rare history and heritage, that over time has been capable of welcome and cherish values I feel in. I’m touched and excited to contribute my creative vision for the brand.”
De Sarno’s first collection will probably be spring 2024, slated to be shown at Milan Fashion Week in September. Like Michele, he’ll oversee women’s, men’s, leather goods, accessories, and lifestyle collections for the brand. De Sarno, an Italian raised in Naples, held roles at Prada and Dolce & Gabbana before joining Valentino, where he worked his way as much as Fashion Director. While it’s too soon to say what De Sarno’s collections might appear to be, his background overseeing men’s and ladies’s collections at Valentino, which is well known for its messages of inclusivity and youth baked into polished, color-forward ready-to-wear and couture, could also be a touch.
And his use of the word “heritage.” If Michele’s Gucci was a joyful mishmash of styles and concepts from across different cultures and historical periods, De Sarno’s Gucci will almost actually be more subdued. Gucci parent company Kering has seen immense success with brands like Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta, which cultivate a sense of “stealth wealth,” or understated classics like tailoring, traditional outerwear, and ladylike handbags.
Gucci CEO Marco Bizzari also emphasized De Sarno’s opportunity to mine Gucci’s wealthy history, saying in the discharge, “Having worked with quite a lot of Italy’s most famous luxury fashion houses, he brings with him an enormous and relevant experience. I’m certain that through Sabato’s deep understanding and appreciation for Gucci’s unique legacy, he’ll lead our creative teams with a particular vision that may help write this exciting next chapter, reinforcing the House’s fashion authority while capitalizing on its wealthy heritage.”
“With Sabato De Sarno on the creative helm,” added Kering Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, “we’re confident that the House will proceed each to influence fashion and culture through highly desirable products and collections, and to bring a singular and contemporary perspective to modern luxury.”
Gucci has not yet confirmed De Sarno’s start date, but he is predicted to start his recent job soon.
Rachel Tashjian is the Fashion News Director at Harper’s Bazaar, working across print and digital platforms. Previously, she was GQ’s first fashion critic, and worked as deputy editor of GARAGE and as a author at Vanity Fair. She has written for publications including Bookforum and Artforum, and is the creator of the invitation-only newsletter Opulent Suggestions.
