Gucci Moves On From Sabato’s Ancora

Sabato De Sarno’s time at Gucci was short. He debuted as creative director with the Spring 2024 Ready-to-Wear collection in September 2023, and by December 2024, he had already presented his final collection, Pre-Fall 2025. With his exit, Gucci’s in-house studio team is now handling the Fall/Winter collection, which will be shown in February.  

In less than two years, De Sarno designed seven major collections across menswear, womenswear, ready-to-wear, and couture. His departure, coming amid a slowdown in luxury sales, raises the question—was he given enough time to establish his vision after Alessandro Michele’s long tenure, or was Kering looking for someone who could drive results faster?  

Sabato and his team had set out with an intention to carve timelessness into Gucci’s garments. They shifted the focus from storytelling and concepts to tailoring and silhouette. Whilst sales reports and critics alike weren’t optimistic, for a brief moment in time, the oxblood red had taken over. Had Kering allowed it, would that shade have taken over like Valentino’s pink is a question one can’t help but ponder over.

However the transition between his first collection and his next wasn’t so seamless. The direction he wished to take Gucci in wasn’t palpable through the clothes. Eventually, the immense pressure that comes with heading the crown jewel of Kering came raining down. 

Now, all eyes are on who will take over next. After De Sarno’s more streamlined approach, will Gucci bring in a designer focused on storytelling, or promote someone from within? Will the next creative lead lean into maximalism or continue the more pared-back direction?  

The real challenge is finding someone who can create lasting impact and customer loyalty—something few designers, like Véronique Nichanian, Karl Lagerfeld, and Virgil Abloh, have managed to do.