Sabato De Sarno - Designer, Creative Director of Gucci

[Xone]

half naked with nothing but a tiny underwear on raya app with his new job title included on his bio

omg really? on raya? haha

 

[NoInvite]

I love this thread everything here is beyond.

 

[LadyJunon]

lol lots of work while they see each other at they office any....speaking of stefano most recent sentiment is that he will get rid of ancora guy so lets see in 2025

What did he say? I want the tea.

 

[Xone]

Ancora guy gave an interview for the latest HB right? what embarrasing things he said this time? lol

 

[yslforever]

omg really? on raya? haha

It's also on IG... if you need more thirst traps in your life .
We went from Grindr gays to Raya gays. That's the "elevation" Kering is bullshitting to their shareholders each quarter.

 

[PDFSD]

What did he say? I want the tea.

what i said that's it :-)

apparently Fabio Z is also off the table because they are not on good terms for a while

 

[LadyJunon]

Gucci's going co-ed starting from February:

Gucci to Hold Unified Show in Milan in February
Creative director Sabato De Sarno will present the brand’s men’s and women’s collections together in a single fashion show also in September as part of the Milan Fashion Week calendar.

By Luisa Zargani
November 19, 2024, 12:01am

MILAN — Gucci is returning to the coed format for its shows or, as the company prefers to describe it, a “unified” version.

Creative director Sabato De Sarno will present the brand’s men’s and women’s collections together in a single fashion show in February and September, respectively, as part of the Milan Fashion Week calendar.

In addition, as reported, Gucci will hold the cruise 2026 fashion show in Florence on May 15, also coed.

In a statement, Gucci said that this will allow De Sarno to present his “sleek, thoughtful and cohesive storyline” for the brand, “fostering a dialogue between complementary men’s and women’s collections,” and “a continuous conversation between these two worlds. Each collection reflects and responds to the other, maintaining its individuality while contributing to a multifaceted narrative in which femininity and masculinity coexist, enrich and elevate one another.”


De Sarno’s first show bowed for women’s in Milan in September 2023, after he was named to the leading design role in January that year. In January and June 2024, he presented his menswear collections for the brand, and last May, a women’s cruise 2025 show in London’s Tate Modern Tanks with guests including Dua Lipa, Demi Moore, Paul Mescal, and Kate and Lila Moss.

The luxury house has experimented with different formats over the past few years, opting for the coed format in 2017 under former creative director Alessandro Michele and then reverting to separate showcases, uncoupling men’s and women’s collections, starting with the former in January 2023.

This is the latest change revealed by Gucci, which is going through several transformations under the lead of Stefano Cantino, deputy chief executive officer, who will take over as CEO on Jan. 1, succeeding Jean-François Palus. As reported, as part of Gucci‘s turnaround, Cantino is developing new teams in key areas, looking at streamlining operations and sharpening the decision-making process.

At the end of December, Valérie Leberichel will join Gucci as senior vice president of global communications from Givenchy, reporting directly to Cantino. Reporting to Leberichel will be the existing PR and communications, events and special projects, entertainment industry relations, and art buying teams, along with the newly established vice president of digital marketing and media. That position will be filled by Marcello Mastrogiacomo, who is joining Gucci on Nov. 25 from Armani Beauty Global. Hailing from Valentino, Daniela Raganato was named global media director earlier this month.

WWD

 

[JoCaderone]

And according to the newsletter, the September show will also be co-ed and created by Sabato. So he will be stick around for at least another 6 months? I just wonder why…

 

[FashionPower]

And according to the newsletter, the September show will also be co-ed and created by Sabato. So he will be stick around for at least another 6 months? I just wonder why…

No, no and no.
Don't jump into conclusions, only because they released a statement for next shows it does not mean he's going to stay.
They would have done it regardless of Sabato's presence just to cut costs (Cantino is a bit stingy at the moment with all the new six figures salaries figures recently introduced in the company).
Gucci menswear does not generate any kind of buzz or sales whatsoever, apart from the tacky logo drug dealer / ghetto stuff that doesn't need to be shown on the runway.
At the moment Sabato is surely safe until the February 2025 show, however it is highly probable he will be dumped shortly after that if Cantino finally decides he's not the right fit for the brand. Of course the run for the successor will be funny to witness.

 

[LadyJunon]

Seeng how this year is going, I'm not suprised they're cutting costs with co-ed shows. Assuming that Q4 falls in line with the rest of the year, I predict that Gucci will make around €7bn-€8bn in 2024. That's a drop in revenue of at least €2bn and I've seen heads roll for less.

​	2024​	2023​
Q1	2.08​	2.61​
Q2	2.01​	2.51​
Q3	1.64​	2.22​
Total (9M)	5.53​	7.34​
Q4	-​	2.53​
Total (12M)	-​	9.87​

Also, designer menswear has always been more of a worldbuilding formality rather than an actual business and Gucci isn't really an expection to that. The menswear market grew by a lot in the last decade (the 2nd coming of Hedi, followed by the streetwear craze), but outside of the brief honeymoon period with Michele, menswear has never really generated much in terms of buzz or sales outside of logoed products.

As for Sabato, his appointement was announced in January 2023, but because of his duties at Valentino, he started in May. Assuming that Sabato has a standard 3-year contract, it should end in May 2026, meaning that his last show should be Cruise 2027. Of course, they can always call it quits before then and I wouldn't be suprised if they do.

 

[style_expert]

And according to the newsletter, the September show will also be co-ed and created by Sabato. So he will be stick around for at least another 6 months? I just wonder why…

Most likely because they haven't found his replacement yet, are still negotiating with a successor or they are waiting for his replacement sitting out a non-compete. At this point immediately firing him and let 'the team' design the next collection (as happened after AM) would send even more signals of cluelessness and a state of crisis to Kering shareholders. There's no way they want to keep Sabato around just for the sake of him sitting out his contract...so one would hope they have a plan and something in the works!
Until then, the co-ed show is just another way of cutting corners..

 

[NoInvite]

Passed by the store I’ve never seen more monograms and logos in my life. They always blame the market but the products are not appealing at all.

 

[plentyofhorns]

Passed by the store I’ve never seen more monograms and logos in my life. They always blame the market but the products are not appealing at all.

The “gifts for him” is 100% monogram or GG. Idk who is buying this stuff, it is soooo cheap looking

https://www.gucci.com/us/en/ca/gifts/gifts-for-men-c-gifts-for-him

 

[yslforever]

The “gifts for him” is 100% monogram or GG. Idk who is buying this stuff, it is soooo cheap looking

https://www.gucci.com/us/en/ca/gifts/gifts-for-men-c-gifts-for-him

Wow, no kidding. It's litteraly terrifying, but not worse that Hermès mono-earring :

https://www.hermes.com/fr/fr/product/mono-boucle-d-oreille-habascule-H100044FP03/#|

 

[FashionPower]

Guys, come on, it's the holiday season, what can you expect from these brands, apart from them trying to cater to the widest demographic and cash more coins? Every brands pushes monograms and entry level "aspirational" items during Christmas. Take a look at the LV gift section in the website...you can't find A SINGLE non monogrammed bag...it's all about monogram small leather (canvas) goods, speedy, neverfull, perfumes, beanies and suglasses. They have a good range of non monogram bags like the Capucine, the GO-14 and all the slim / side trunks iterations, but they are too damn expensive to be included in a mass oriented campaign.
Funnily enough, last year's Gucci gift campaign featured much less logo compared to the current one, clear sign that Sabato had more influence in terms of products selection.

 

[jeanclaude]

Funnily enough, last year's Gucci gift campaign featured much less logo compared to the current one, clear sign that Sabato had more influence in terms of products selection.

I´d say it is a clear sign they are really desperate to make some short-term cash ASAP...

 

[Olaffo]

The Pale Kering

Kering news and notes: the Sabato De Sarno sitch at Gucci, an executive shuffle, and where Matthieu Blazy might land.

puck.news

Anyone has an access ?

 

[Frederic01]

The Pale Kering

Kering news and notes: the Sabato De Sarno sitch at Gucci, an executive shuffle, and where Matthieu Blazy might land.

puck.news

Anyone has an access ?

The Pale Kering​

News and notes on the De Sarno sitch at Gucci, Kering’s executive shuffle, and where Blazy might land.

The other day, I read the musings of OliverChen, an analyst at TD Cowen whom I’ve known for years, following his conversation with Claire Roblet, Kering’s director of financial communication and market intelligence—the conglomerate’s liaison to the financial world. Roblet had shared some insights about Gucci with Chen, who subsequently disseminated them, along with his own observations, in a note to investors. “On a scale of 1-10 (10 is best), management rated the health of the U.S. consumers a 6/7, European consumers a 5, and Chinese consumers a 4,” Chen wrote.

While Chen and his colleagues anticipated that Gucci has to endure a little more pain before things turn around—they need to close more stores, among other things—they were encouraged by all the new products coming out, including three new handbag styles this past fall. The analysts emphasized the need for innovation across all price points—like every luxury brand, Gucci has gotten farmore expensive in recent years—and compelling fashion shows that push people to go to the stores.

I respect Chen and his insights, but this is also a guy who once told me that a struggling Kate Spade New York was headed for a turnaround after evaluating the brand book. (Let me tell you, I saw the same brand book, and it most definitely wasn’t headed for a turnaround.) Like most analysts, Chen takes what a brand says at face value, hedges it slightly, and doesn’t get emotional. He doesn’t take big swings.

I think Chen is directionally correct about Gucci. And yet, so many questions remain: Why is only 40 percent of the product in stores right now from the current Sabato De Sarno era? (The rest is carryover—both perennial and old styles, the latter of which will eventually be phased out.) Also, why have there been so few store overhauls since De Sarno started in March 2023? Yes, it also took time to get Alessandro Michele’s product in stores when he first became creative director, but not this long. And while store redesigns are pricey capital expenditures, the messaging is strange: De Sarno’s work is being merchandised in spaces created for the style of his predecessor. It’s even more confusing now that Michele’s first collection for Valentino is available to purchase.

Of course, all these concerns and curiosities contribute to the broader plume of uncertainty surrounding Sabato—a cynical observer might wonder if Gucci’s reluctance to renovate stores is really the first step toward admitting that the current strategy isn’t working, and that they should pause investment until the new-ish management team has more time to collect data and deliberate. After all, if Gucci is truly set on De Sarno, why aren’t they showing it? Early on, there were definitely some supply chain issues, but the lack of product in stores now feels like a lack of confidence in the wares—and the designer, himself. You’ll find none of this in Chen’s note, but Gucci is trying to pull off a difficult gambit in a dishy industry where perception and reality often, but don’t always, overlap.

Kering Shake-Ups & Blazy Murmurs​

Executives at Kering, for their part, have publicly acknowledged that they were impacted disproportionately in China—and that these sales declines, exacerbated by other macroeconomic issues, limited their ability to support the De Sarno project until recently. Armelle Poulou, the group’s C.F.O., said in a recent call with investors that De Sarno’s ready-to-wear sales actually beat expectations. As for the stores, Poulou equivocated. “It’s probably a better idea to concentrate on very nice stores, but not that many,” she said. In other words, it may not make sense to renovate a location unless they are positive it will be there in a year.

Indeed, while it’s likely that other people have been interviewed for the job during De Sarno’s tenure—the names brought up time and again include Jonathan Anderson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and, more recently, Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello—no change has materialized. Instead, it appears that Kering chairman and C.E.O. François-Henri Pinault and his deputy, Francesca Bellettini, have decided to focus on getting the executive ranks in order. Bellettini moved one of her longtime deputies, Cedric Charbit, into her old job running Saint Laurent, and gave Gianfranco Gianangeli—Saint Laurent’s chief commercial officer—Charbit’s old Balenciaga C.E.O. gig.

Now, there are no vacancies. And while everyone didn’t end up where they thought they would (Gucci C.E.O. Stefano Cantino was originally rumored to be heading to Saint Laurent or into a group-level role, and Charbit to Gucci), Kering is more stable now—which is especially important as it navigates the market upheaval. I’m convinced that the company is determined to give De Sarno the three years that he deserves to try to make it work, despite the tremendous further investment it will require. There is definitely traction at Gucci in the U.S., though. Every week, I hear another anecdote about someone making a big purchase, or placing a custom order. Sabato has real fans now.
Meanwhile, there is the intensifying rumor that Bottega Veneta’s Matthieu Blazy may be the next Chanel designer. Bottega, of course, is the one brand in the Kering portfolio with positive numbers right now. If Blazy leaves, it will be reinvented once again. But I suspect that there will be movement in the group no matter what. Maybe not in the next year, but remember that YSL’s Vaccarello and Demna at Balenciaga—who recently re-signed for another stint at the house—have both been in their posts for nearly a decade. They may crave change, themselves, which subsequently creates a chain reaction.

All of these possibilities highlight one key differentiator for Kering. Last week, while talking to an LVMH person, I made a comment about the company’s Fashion Group, which served as something of a talent acquisition-and-retention tool in an earlier iteration. I said I wished someone who was fun could run it, and nurture a new generation of Phoebes and Jonathans. The person said, quite seriously and matter-of-factly, “But we’re not fun.”
And it’s true. Yes, LVMH will still go to great lengths to keep talent within their walls, and there are people there who want to continue to lead with the idea that creativity fuels commerce. But the reality is that LVMH is bigger than that now. Kering, on the other hand, can still lead with creativity. It has also become more corporate over the years, sure, but its size, and the way it’s run by Pinault—the son of the founder, not the founder himself—means that there is still room to have a little fun.

As an executive reminded me earlier this month, everything is cyclical. Things weren’t looking so great for luxury in 2012, 2013, and even into 2014. Then Hedi, Demna, Alessandro, and Virgil all happened in the mid-2010s, followed up by Jonathan and Anthony. This exec predicted that ’26, ’27, and ’28 would be banner years for luxury once again. And, once again, Kering is poised to make good on it.

PUCK NEWS

 

[Frederic01]

Armelle Poulou, the group’s C.F.O., said in a recent call with investors that De Sarno’s ready-to-wear sales actually beat expectations.

Beat what expectations exactly? Of selling nothing? LOL.

Kering can try and put as much PR Spin on Sabato's tenure as they want, but it's not fooling anyone. If they want to wait until 2026 for him to be a success, dropping at a 25% revenue loss each quarter/year until then, I wish them luck.

Honestly these Kering people are delulu. The man needs to go and they need someone with a strong and dynamic aesthetic to recover the brand image and ASAP. I don't know what more evidence they need for goodness sake. What are they waiting for to replace him? For the company's profits to sink by 50%? 75%? SMH.

 

[PDFSD]

Most likely because they haven't found his replacement yet, are still negotiating with a successor or they are waiting for his replacement sitting out a non-compete. At this point immediately firing him and let 'the team' design the next collection (as happened after AM) would send even more signals of cluelessness and a state of crisis to Kering shareholders. There's no way they want to keep Sabato around just for the sake of him sitting out his contract...so one would hope they have a plan and something in the works!
Until then, the co-ed show is just another way of cutting corners..

yes yes i agree but don't forget this is Kering , Wang at Balenciaga had also a 3 year disaster run