Luxury giant Gucci announced on Thursday it was parting ways with Italian designer Sabato De Sarno, who had been its creative director for two years.
De Sarno was appointed to the job in January 2023, succeeding Alessandro Michele, who had been Gucci’s creative director for seven years.
“Gucci today announces the end of its collaboration with creative director Sabato De Sarno,” the fashion brand owned by French luxury group Kering said.
“The Fall-Winter ‘25 fashion show in Milan on February 25 will be presented by the Gucci design office. The new artistic direction will be announced in due time,” Gucci said.
De Sarno began his career at Prada in 2005, then moved to Dolce & Gabbana.
The designer from Naples joined Valentino in 2009, where he rose through the ranks to become fashion director.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to Sabato for his passion and dedication to Gucci,” Gucci chief executive Stefano Cantino said.
“I sincerely appreciate how he honoured Gucci’s craftsmanship and heritage with such commitment.”
Gucci accounts for nearly half of Kering’s total sales.
Kering said in October that its 2024 operating profit could come in at half of its 2023 level after Gucci sales slumped, particularly in Asia.
Gucci enjoyed high-flying growth between 2015 and 2019, with revenue rising threefold over that period. Its sales topped 10 billion euros in 2022 under the direction of designer Alessandro Michele.
But Gucci sales declined six per cent in 2023, a massive blow to Kering as the brand accounted for almost half of its revenue and two-thirds of its operating profit.
A global slowdown in the luxury sector in 2024 exacerbated Gucci’s challenges.
In October, Kering promoted Stefano Cantino, a former Louis Vuitton director, to the post of chief executive at Gucci to replace Jean-Francois Palus. Cantino had been named deputy to Palus just six months earlier.
In another leadership shuffle, Gucci announced the departure of creative director de Sarno last week. — AFP
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