Sabato De Sarno named new artistic director of Gucci

Italian designer Sabato De Sarno has been named Gucci’s new creative director and will unveil his first collection during Milan Fashion Week next September, Gucci and parent company Kering announced on Saturday.

MILANO– Italian designer Sabato De Sarno has been named Gucci’s new creative director and will unveil his first collection during Milan Fashion Week next September, Gucci and parent company Kering announced on Saturday.

De Sarno has previously worked for Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino, where he was most recently fashion director, overseeing men’s and women’s collections.

“I am delighted that Sabato is joining Gucci as the house’s new creative director, one of the most influential roles in the luxury experience,” said Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri, highlighting his experience “with a number of Italy’s most renowned luxury fashion houses.

Speculation is rife in the fashion world as to who will succeed Alessandro Michele after he unexpectedly left office last fall after nearly eight years of redefining the brand’s codes with flowing looks , romantic and eclectic.

Like Michele when he was promoted from the in-house team in 2015, De Sarno is a relative unknown in the wider fashion world, having mostly worked behind the scenes.

De Sarno, a native of Naples, will join Gucci as soon as he completes his current duties and will be responsible for all of the brand’s collections: women’s, men’s, leather goods, accessories and lifestyle. In the meantime, Gucci’s collections, including the Fall/Winter 2023-24 women’s collection which will premiere next month in Milan, are designed by the in-house team.

De Sarno said he was “touched and delighted to contribute to my creative vision for the brand”, which he said “has been able to embrace and cherish the values ​​I believe in”.