Sabato de Sarno exits Gucci: What’s next for the iconic fashion house?

For the past few months, fashion has been rife with surprises, with designers and brands making major moves, but Sabato de Sarno’s departure from Gucci certainly wasn’t expected. The news broke this morning that de Sarno, who had been the creative director of the Italian fashion house for just two years, would be stepping down. His departure comes only two years after he succeeded Alessandro Michele in the role.

Before joining Gucci, de Sarno had a notable career as fashion director at Valentino, where he oversaw both men’s and women’s collections. He also worked at Dolce & Gabbana and Prada in the early 2000s. Gucci’s CEO, Stefano Cantino, shared his gratitude in a statement, saying, “I would like to express my deep gratitude to Sabato for his passion and dedication to Gucci. I sincerely appreciate how he honoured Gucci’s craftsmanship and heritage with such commitment.”

As for the brand’s next steps, the Fall-Winter ’25 show in Milan on February 25 will be presented by the Gucci design office, with an announcement of new artistic direction to come “in due time.”

De Sarno’s departure coincides with Gucci’s sales struggles, adding fuel to online speculation over who might step in next. Could it be Marc Jacobs, Hedi Slimane, or Maria Grazia Chiuri? With Gucci's efforts to pivot away from travel retail and entry-level merchandise like sneakers, hoodies, and mini-bags, they’ve faced difficulty in building traction among wealthier shoppers fast enough to offset the decline in other parts of their business.

Gucci reported a 21% sales drop in 2024, a reflection of a broader slowdown in luxury demand, with fashion-forward yet accessible brands like Gucci being hit hardest. Kering, Gucci’s parent company, will release their annual results on February 11, and all eyes will be on what’s next for the iconic fashion house.


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