Gucci announces the departure of creative director Sabato De Sarno
Gucci, one of the largest brands under the Kering group, announced on the morning of Thursday, February 6, 2025, that it will end its partnership with creative director Sabato De Sarno. The upcoming Winter 2025 show, set to take place on February 25, will be led by the brand's internal design team.
Sabato De Sarno, born in Cicciano, Italy, took over as Gucci's creative director in January 2023 after a period of declining sales and stagnation for the brand. During his brief tenure, De Sarno attempted to redefine the house's identity with a vision based on classic pieces from Gucci's archives and influences from the 1990s and 2000s, particularly the era under Tom Ford's leadership. However, his collections failed to generate the expected enthusiasm, with the brand's sales dropping 21% in the last nine months of 2024.
Gucci's CEO, Stefano Cantino, thanked De Sarno for his work and highlighted his dedication to the brand's heritage and craftsmanship. The new creative leadership will be announced soon, with speculation pointing to names such as John Galliano and Hedi Slimane as potential successors.
What does Sabato de Sarno's departure indicate about current fashion?
The departure of Sabato de Sarno from Gucci reveals deeper issues about the current state of the fashion industry. The announcement, made just weeks before the Winter 2025 show, indicates increasing pressure for quick results, which may have contributed to the lack of time necessary for De Sarno to implement his ideas more strategically.
The situation reflects the industry's obsession with immediate results and the fast-paced culture of launches and market reactions. The pressure to remain relevant, combined with shifting consumer behavior and economic challenges, has led to some hasty decisions that impact luxury brands.
Between 2015 and 2019, under Alessandro Michele's direction, Gucci experienced significant growth. However, from 2020 onward, the brand's expansion stalled. After the pandemic, consumer priorities changed, and Gucci was one of the few luxury brands that failed to regain its previous sales levels. In response to this crisis, Kering focused on reissuing classics and increasing prices, but this strategy was not enough to reverse the decline in sales.
Pressure and fatigue with safe proposals
The departure of De Sarno also reflects a growing fatigue with proposals that are seen as too "safe," such as luxury basics and reissues of best-sellers. The lack of innovation may have been a determining factor in the dissatisfaction with his tenure. The fashion industry is marked by constant changes and a form of consumption that goes beyond material factors like price and quality. Symbolic value, social status, and cultural relevance are crucial aspects of a luxury brand's success, and perhaps Gucci failed to keep its proposition updated and relevant.
This event can also be interpreted as part of a broader shift in the fashion industry, with a growing focus on innovation, originality, and the pursuit of an authentic style that resonates with consumers, especially in a time of economic and social uncertainty.