Sabato De Sarno New Artistic Director of Gucci. Story by RUNWAY MAGAZINE. Photo Courtesy: Sabato De Sarno.
April 28, 2023 we received news that finally a new designer is taking the throne of Artistic Director of Gucci house after 4 months of silence. For 4 months the throne remained empty. This is his personal Labor Day – the first day at Gucci. The first collection of Sabato De Sarno for Gucci will be shown in September 2023 for Spring Summer 2024 Ready-to-Wear season.
François-Henri Pinault, Chairman & CEO of Kering, owner of Gucci said: “One hundred and two years after Guccio Gucci opened his first store in Florence, Gucci remains one of the most iconic, prominent and influential luxury houses in the world. With Sabato De Sarno at the creative helm, we are confident that the House will continue both to influence fashion and culture through highly desirable products and collections, and to bring a singular and contemporary perspective to modern luxury.”
After working alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino fashion house for 13 years, Sabato De Sarno announced his departure today and received warm greetings and a welcome from the team at Gucci. At his farewell, the entire Valentino team donned black and white t-shirts with “WE ♥ SDS” stickers, giving him a touching send-off.
Sabato De Sarno expressed his gratitude for the farewell organized by Pierpaolo Piccioli and his colleagues, stating that “VALENTINO. It was beautiful.”
Pierpaolo Piccioli said in his notes that “Sabato & Us. Stories are made by people. And people’s stories are made by moments. This is one of our moments to keep along with those past and those to come.”
“Me and Sabato. Same page. It means being on the same side, feeling the same things without wasting words and without regrets. Nostalgia does not belong to us. We have never celebrated the past because we have always thought that everything we need is here and now. I am happy and very proud of the goal you have reached, thanks to your commitment, your talent and who you are. I’m happy with the time we shared and how we shared it, because as the years went by, collection after collection, I found a friend. I’m happy because what you leave here you will take with you, because what has been is healthy and intact, because your colleagues here are rooting for you, everyone will soon understand why. Good luck friend. I’ll be there to applaud you, feel proud and say ‘I knew it’. Same page. Always…” – added Pierpaolo Piccioli.
This greeting is not rhetoric, nor a hypocritical marketing gimmick, but a sincere and spontaneous message of mutual affection, esteem and humanity of which luckily there is still a trace in the ruthless and competitive world of fashion.
This gesture serves as an example and symbol of a new way of living and working within the fashion industry, highlighting the importance of empathy and human values over the constant battles between brands and cutthroat market competition. It is crucial that we prioritize these values to set ourselves apart from machines and continue to stay ahead of any advancements in Artificial Intelligence.
