Gucci’s Revolving Door Spins Again: Sabato De Sarno Steps Down
If there’s one thing the luxury fashion industry loves as much as an over-the-top runway show, it’s a dramatic departure. Gucci @gucci just announced that Sabato De Sarno @sabato.desarno is out, barely two years after taking the creative helm. With the February 25 Milan Fashion Week show now in the hands of Gucci’s design team, the brand is once again in search of a new visionary—or at least someone who can last longer than a couple of seasons.
From Valentino to Gucci to… Who Knows?
De Sarno, who previously worked under Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino, was handed the nearly impossible task of reining in Gucci’s excess after Alessandro Michele’s wildly maximalist reign. His pared-back, sartorial vision was meant to bring Gucci back to its roots—less chaos, more craftsmanship. But, as the numbers showed, the world apparently wasn’t ready for a more subtle Gucci.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Sadly for De Sarno, there was no hype or excitement, which is what luxury fashion is all about. With a 21% drop in income and a sharp decline in sales in 2024, Gucci’s financial situation probably contributed to this sudden departure. Someone has to take the fall when a brand that was previously thriving on an Instagram-fueled frenzy suddenly finds itself in a downturn. And it’s De Sarno this time.
Nobody Wants to Follow This Trend
You have most likely read this headline before if it seems familiar to you. Top creative directors are dropping like flies in the fashion industry’s ongoing game of musical chairs. Pierpaolo Piccioli departed Valentino, Kim Jones left Dior’s menswear, and now De Sarno is the most recent victim of the industry’s unrelenting hunt for the “next big thing.”
Brands appear to have forgotten that invention requires time. However, in a business that moves as quickly as a TikTok fad, patience isn’t exactly a virtue.
What Will Happen to Gucci Next?
Who will Gucci turn to now that they have started the process of finding a new creative director? Will an old favorite be revived, or will we witness the end of yet another up-and-coming designer? Gucci is remaining silent for the time being, despite rumors circulating around names like Pierpaolo Piccioli and John Galliano.
It’s reasonable to believe that De Sarno won’t remain unemployed for very long. Despite its ruthlessness, the fashion industry never really lets go of its fallen stars. Who knows? He might take over another significant house that needs a makeover in a year or two.
The Irony of It All
The real joke here is that while brands scramble to reinvent themselves every two years, fashion itself remains as predictable as ever. We’ve seen this cycle before: a brand makes a drastic change, the market reacts poorly, a creative director is sacrificed, and the cycle starts anew. Maybe the real issue isn’t who’s in charge—but the industry’s impatience with letting a vision actually develop.
Until then, we’ll be waiting for the next big headline: “Gucci’s New Creative Director Announced.” And in another two years? We’ll probably be writing this same article all over again.
A Gucci bag lasts longer than a Gucci creative director.
