Sabato De Sarno - Designer, Creative Director of Gucci

[yslforever]

Q4 figures are going to be made public in February, so it might not be a bad idea for them to make this announcement now, so they have a stronger narrative about the path forward. In other words, if they need some good news and the appearance of coming stability, this could be that.

I don't think the analysts will buy the narrative so simply. Kering lacks some serious strategic vision: all their beauty and perfumes are licensed (to Coty or L'Oréal), their jewelry brands are laughable, their watches too, and actually Kering already owns a menswear company, Brioni, which they mismanaged at every opportunity...
I don't know de Sarno, the analysts neither, this move alone won't save Kering's face.

 

[KoV]

I don't think the analysts will buy the narrative so simply. Kering lacks some serious strategic vision: all their beauty and perfumes are licensed (to Coty or L'Oréal), their jewelry brands are laughable, their watches too, and actually Kering already owns a menswear company, Brioni, which they mismanaged at every opportunity...
I don't know de Sarno, the analysts neither, this move alone won't save Kering's face.

Well, it might not be an easy sell, but since Gucci is the crown jewel, recently representing up to 70% percent of Kering's profits, they need to do something. I can imagine "we have a new creative director already announced, he's been successful at this other brand, has decades of experience, and here's where we're headed..." will probably sound better than "hey, we dumped Michele months ago but haven't found anyone knew. Hang tight!"

 

[Frederic01]

I admire the fact that Kering gives designers that aren't necessarily "stars" a chance. It shows they believe in talent and experience rather than pure hype. It's the complete opposite strategy to LVMH, who, as we know, hire designers based on hype and fame. And look how well that turned out for them at Givenchy for example.

It's also interesting that his first show will be in September! That's probably the longest period of time Gucci has gone without a creative director. I'm surprised that they will have so many shows just designed by the studio? It's such a financial risk given that Alessandro's vision was so strong and basically what brought in the money.

 

[perhydrol]

^ Leaving the brand to the design team is even more risky for Gucci because if De Sarno's first collection is presented in September, the new creative direction will hit the stores next year. Let's see if the team's watered down, bland version of Michele's vision works in the meantime, because that menswear show was not it.

 

[LadyJunon]

It's also interesting that his first show will be in September! That's probably the longest period of time Gucci has gone without a creative director. I'm surprised that they will have so many shows just designed by the studio? It's such a financial risk given that Alessandro's vision was so strong and basically what brought in the money.

That's ten months, four shows and a year's worth of product and merchandise being put together by a "headless body". The Spring 2024 Menswear and Womenswear offering risk being completely distanced in aesthetic and branding. They should've had him terminate his contract with Valentino before announcing him and have his debut be for Cruise in May or Spring Menswear in June.

 

[LadyJunon]

^ Leaving the brand to the design team is even more risky for Gucci because if De Sarno's first collection is presented in September, the new creative direction will hit the stores next year. Let's see if the team's watered down, bland version of Michele's vision works in the meantime, because that menswear show was not it.

I don't even think that they'll even bother trying to impress the public or the suits, since it's confirmed that none of them are getting "The Job™".

 

[jeanclaude]

I´ve checked his IG...and I hope his Gucci has nothing to do with the kind of content he has there...

Hope level: -99

 

[nejtak]

I´ve checked his IG...and I hope his Gucci has nothing to do with the kind of content he has there...

Hope level: -99

I'm also confused by his instagram. It feels very tumblr-outdated and also very random? I would have cleaned out the crap from my feed before going public with my profile (to repost a million stories congratulating me on the news). But let's see, my mother always said that the best hair dressers are those with the worst-looking haircuts.

 

[Mutterlein]

Q4 figures are going to be made public in February, so it might not be a bad idea for them to make this announcement now, so they have a stronger narrative about the path forward. In other words, if they need some good news and the appearance of coming stability, this could be that.

I think you're absolutely correct.

Press releases like this have a tendency to raise and lower stock prices.

 

[Mutterlein]

A safe but uninspired choice.

His Valentino is not where I would have looked for a creative solution to Gucci's business problem.

He seems like a nice guy although a little cheesy. Good for him for jumping off of Piccioli's sinking ship.

He's got big shoes to fill. Let's see what he does.

 

[kasper!]

Ragazzo hire a good accessories design team as soon as you can, top priority.....

 

[penny609]

Checked his Instagram page and indeed it's kinda different from what many expected. But I personally find it endearing and honest (that he didn't "clean" it before making it public). Back on topic, I'm clearly waiting for september to see his work for Gucci and to my eyes (still missing Michele) it's going to be a tough task...

 

[FashionFanatico]

i hate the way valentino evolved the last seasons.
especially the men collection.

so i don't expect anything big from him till he proves me wrong.

 

[LadyJunon]

i hate the way valentino evolved the last seasons.
especially the men collection.

so i don't expect anything big from him till he proves me wrong.

Valentino hasn't even produced a full Menswear collection in the past 3 years. It's not very reassuring.

 

[Frederic01]

Valentino hasn't even produced a full Menswear collection in the past 3 years. It's not very reassuring.

They do but it doesn't get released to the public! Each season there is an entire collection that is designed in tandem with womenswear, but the photos are kept internal and the lookbooks are sent to clients. For example this past season for Cruise, there is a 113 page lookbook for the menswear part of the collection.

I don't why they choose to do it like that, but I guess its a decision from HQ maybe about making sure womenswear is front and centre of the Valentino world.

 

[yslforever]

Valentino hasn't even produced a full Menswear collection in the past 3 years. It's not very reassuring.

The menswear I have seen reaching the shops is dreadfull too, so many gimmicks over substance: Pink, VLOGO, VLTN, that cheap Balenciaga font, rockstuds everywhere, camo prints, tons of basic hoodies, printed silk shirt and shorts... but all the designs look "borrowed" from other, trendier, competitors.

 

[TaylorBinque]

I just came from his IG and, to be honest, I find it's good that he doesn't clean it blank or a type of superficial philosophical idea. He seems to be in touch with whats going on in the world. Just maybe we don't really know where he is taking Gucci too.

I don't want to just judge it solely based on Valentino. Every time I visit the store, it's always very boring. The menswear section is extremely limited and I think this decision does come down from the top and obviously PP direction is not inspiring. I sure have high hope for accessories tho.

 

[vetements]

I admire the fact that Kering gives designers that aren't necessarily "stars" a chance. It shows they believe in talent and experience rather than pure hype. It's the complete opposite strategy to LVMH, who, as we know, hire designers based on hype and fame. And look how well that turned out for them at Givenchy for example.

It's also interesting that his first show will be in September! That's probably the longest period of time Gucci has gone without a creative director. I'm surprised that they will have so many shows just designed by the studio? It's such a financial risk given that Alessandro's vision was so strong and basically what brought in the money.

Judging from how Kering operates with their designers thus far, I doubt it is simply a matter of admiration for talent, more like they don’t want to deal with the strong, individualistic “star-designers’ but opting for a quiet, obedient person with background in dress making, am sure a lot of politics are also at play…

I am really curious as to how the new Gucci will turn out, but whatever it is going to be, am sure the bosses have a lot of say in how they want it to be. Like I said previously, I actually didn’t mind what Michele was doing, it has a place in the fashion world today, be it tacky, loud, androgenous or whatever you want to call it. If you like that, you buy Michele’s Gucci, if you want Tom Ford-for-Gucci Gucci, there are plenty of others choices. Seriously, what other fashion styles are there that is not currently available in the market?

 

[Lola701]

Here's De Sarno career history (pulled from his LinkedIn page):

Prada (2003 - 06)
• assistant pattern-maker: womenswear
Annapurna (2006 - 08)
• freelance assistant designer
Dolce and Gabbana (2008 - 09)
• head designer: womenswear knitwear and jersey
Valentino (2009 - 23)
• knitwear designer: men's/women's ready-to-wear (2009 - 12)
• head designer: men's ready-to-wear (2012 - 16)
• design director: men's ready-to-wear (2016 - 23)
• image to market director: men's ready-to-wear (2018 - 20)
• design director: women's ready-to-wear (2020 - 23)

It's interesting that they got a designer with a decade-plus of history in menswear and according to BOF, they're planning on doing 6 collections a year. It really shows that the menswear was the weakest link in Michele's tenure and they're trying to focus on it.

What is actually surprising is for them to take someone outside of Gucci.
Tom was at Gucci for 4 years before becoming the star, John Ray, Alessandra Facchinetti and Frida Giannini were already in the studio and of course we all know about Michele’s story.

Obviously they expected the same kind of thing that happened after Michele’s collection to happen after the menswear show. Unfortunately there was no real sense of leadership from that collection…

But it’s weird for them to leave the house at the hand of the studio for so long and also take the risk for a real leadership to emerge and maybe sales to jump. They will be responsible for 3 collections. That’s a lot! I

 

[Mutterlein]

What is actually surprising is for them to take someone outside of Gucci.
Tom was at Gucci for 4 years before becoming the star, John Ray, Alessandra Facchinetti and Frida Giannini were already in the studio and of course we all know about Michele’s story.

Obviously they expected the same kind of thing that happened after Michele’s collection to happen after the menswear show. Unfortunately there was no real sense of leadership from that collection…

But it’s weird for them to leave the house at the hand of the studio for so long and also take the risk for a real leadership to emerge and maybe sales to jump. They will be responsible for 3 collections. That’s a lot! I

I imagine they vetted everyone internally quite thoroughly before making a huge decision like this. If the talent they were looking for was there, they would have found it.

It is a long while to go without a leader but other brands have gone longer.

What's interesting to me is that in the announcement it said he would be in charge of design. It made no mention of brand image or advertising. Unless I overlooked it.