Sabato De Sarno Exits Gucci
On Thursday, Gucci announced the end of its collaboration with Sabato De Sarno, who had been serving as the brand’s creative director. The upcoming Fall fashion show, scheduled for February 25 in Milan, will be presented by Gucci’s in-house design team, while a new artistic director will be announced in due course.
Gucci’s CEO, Stefano Cantino, expressed his gratitude to De Sarno for his passion and dedication, acknowledging the designer’s commitment to honoring the brand’s craftsmanship and heritage. Francesca Bellettini, Deputy CEO of Kering, praised De Sarno’s loyalty and professionalism, highlighting the foundational work he accomplished, which will serve as the basis for the new artistic direction moving forward.
De Sarno’s departure comes during a challenging period for Gucci, as the brand has faced declining revenues and mixed reviews of its recent collections. In the third quarter, Gucci’s organic sales dropped by 25%, surpassing analysts’ expectations of a 21% decrease. In response, the Italian fashion house is focusing on a renewal strategy, which includes the launch of new handbag lines, essential pieces based on De Sarno’s most successful designs, and optimized distribution and shorter turnaround times.
