Sabato De Sarno will take up the position at Gucci left vacant by Alessandro Michele in November, according to a statement from Kering. De Sarno’s career has primarily been behind the scenes up until this moment, although at multiple different clothing brands, much like Michele before he assumed leadership at the Italian house seven years ago. The recently appointed creative director began his career in 2005 at Prada, then moved on to Dolce & Gabbana before joining Valentino in 2009. He spent his time at the latter, working closely with Pierpaolo Piccioli as he advanced through the ranks to become fashion director, in charge of both the men’s and women’s RTW collections. His debut Gucci collection is scheduled to be unveiled in September at Milan Fashion Week.
Gucci’s president and CEO, Marco Bizzarri, issued a statement “I am delighted that Sabato will join Gucci as the house’s new creative director, one of the most influential roles in the luxury industry.”
Adding “I am certain that through Sabato’s deep understanding and appreciation for Gucci’s unique legacy, he will lead our creative teams with a distinctive vision that will help write this exciting next chapter, reinforcing the house’s fashion authority while capitalising on its rich heritage.”
The fashion industry will unavoidably be anxious to watch how De Sarno’s plan for Gucci materializes. The fashion house has trailed behind rivals like Louis Vuitton and Dior financially in previous years, but Michele’s reinvention of the Gucci style saw revenues double to a cool €10 billion when he took control of the brand’s direction in 2015.
