Gucci's creative director Sabato De Sarno is leaving

Gucci's parent company Kering has announced the depature of the Italian brand's creative director Sabato De Sarno. It brings to an end a short tenure at the fashion house for De Sarno, who had joined the company in 2023, succeeding Alessandro Michele.

Gucci's upcoming autumn/winter 2024 show on February 25 in Milan will be presented by its design team, prior to which a new creative lead will be announced, according to a press release.

Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino expressed his gratitude for De Sarno's dedication and passion for the brand, underlining how De Sarno devotedly honoured Gucci's craftsmanship and heritage.

Meanwhile, Francesca Bellettini, Kering's deputy CEO in charge of brand development, thanked De Sarno for his loyalty and professionalism. Bellettini stated that she was proud of the work accomplished to strengthen Gucci's foundations, adding that she looked forward to further growth under the new creative leadership.

De Sarno's departure comes at a time when Gucci is striving for renewed leadership and sustainable growth. De Sarno's collections for the house marked a shift towards a more understated, "wearable aesthetic" compared to the more eccentric approach taken by his predecessor.

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Future direction of Gucci

Gucci remains committed to sustainable growth amidst a challenging period. Kering's revenue declined by 15 percent in Q3, largely due to a downturn at Gucci, for which sales decreased by 26 percent to 1.64 billion euros.

Gucci, which represents nearly 50 percent of Kering's revenue, has been facing difficulties since the end of 2022 and is undergoing a restructuring, overseen by Cantino, who became CEO in January 2024 when he was tasked with revitalising the brand.

Despite positive responses to recent collections, customer acquisition remains a challenge. Kering expects an operating profit of 2.5 billion euros in 2024, almost half of 2023's figure.

With the announced departure of creative director De Sarno, the fashion world now awaits his successor and the future direction of Gucci.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.NL. It was translated to English using AI and edited by Rachel Douglass.

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