What is happening in the House of Gucci?

Amidst the transition from Alessandro Michele to Sabato de Sarno at the creative direction of Italian powerhouse Gucci, interrogations have been raised about the future of the brand and the success of this shift. Will this new collection be the salvation of Gucci? Can Gucci stand out in this new landscape?

On November 23rd 2022, Gucci announced the departure of Michele after 7 years of loyal service. The creative director who created commotion around the brand with his extravagant and ground-breaking ideas left the House, sharing very little details about the specifics reasons for his departure. The French Luxury Group Kering who owns Gucci also stayed silent.

Although Gucci showcased an exponential growth from 2015 to 2019, with sales increasing from €3.9bn to €9.7bn, the Italian house has lost important market share since the pandemic, struggling to compete with world leading conglomerate LVMH and French leather champion Hermès. But why is it that, despite Michele’s magnetism and originality, Gucci faced a steep decline in sales?

Cultivating its success on maximalism in the past years, with hyper-logo frenzy and trendsetting fashion shows, the house overtook the Chinese market, targeting a clientele hungry for extravagant designs and brand display. However, borders’ closedowns took a huge hit on the sales performance which accounted for a massive part of Gucci’s revenues. Since then, the house has been struggling to achieve growth with the absence of Chinese consumers. There has also been an absence of American consumers buying in Europe due to a dollar decreasing in strength.

Despite his revolutionary vision of fashion and tremendous success before 2019, Michele was faced with a new challenge: minimalism. Mini-skirts, mini-bags, plain colors and classic chic, the industry took a turning point, fuelled by trend setters such as MiuMiu or Saint Laurent. In this turmoil of change, Michele’s signature eccentricity lost momentum.

Sabato de Sarno: New or Old Beginning?

To revive the old flame of Gucci, none other than former fashion director of Valentino was appointed as creative director. Taking an unexpected turn towards reminiscence and the old Gucci style, Sabato de Sarno revisited Tom Ford’s influence on the House in the 90’s and 2000’s, where minimalism marked the legacy of the Italian landmark. From Naples, De Sarno made his way in fashion through Italian houses: from Prada to Valentino, passing by Dolce Gabbana. As mentioned in his interview with Vogue: “L’italianità fa sicuramente parte della mia storia [The Italianness is truly part of my story]”. Surely there is no better way to say it. From Roma to Milano, the designer blossomed in the fashion environment, with an history marked by his discovery of fashion in all its aspects in the Italian capital cities.

Fond of Italian fashion history and culture, the designer’s intention has been to go back to the Italian essence of Gucci. In his last Vogue interview, he showcased a will to dig into Gucci’s heritage to start this new chapter: “Gucci è un marchio molto italiano, con un enorme patrimonio, ma credo sia qualcosa che abbiamo perso. E io voglio recuperarlo [Gucci is a very Italian brand, with a huge patrimony, which I believe is something we lost. And I want to get it back]”. In his first Fashion Show as Creative Director, he chose the Brera District, displaying minimalist skirts, retro colors and materials, and a slogan, Gucci Ancora. De Sarno shook Milan Fashion Week with a staple of nostalgia and elegance. On a background of groovy music signed Mark Ronson, close friend of the designer, the House unveiled its new collection, signing the beginning of a new chapter. The chorus, which sings “On and on and on” can only remind us of “Gucci ancora, ancora, ancora”, and the models use this chorus to strut the runway. Veiling of the GG logo and return of the so-called “quiet fashion”, the Italian director blew a new breeze into the iconic brand which was greatly marked by Michele’s influence during the past decade.

What Can We Expect for Gucci Next?

The direction the brand has been making move very similarly to its sister house Saint Laurent, currently under the command of Francesca Bellettini. A super performer since the appointment of Bellettini, Saint Laurent stands out with its minimalism and iconic pieces. Looking back to Gucci’s last fashion show, the collection was filled with burgundy Jackie bags, platform horsebit loafers and monogramed beige jumpsuits. A return to wardrobe essentials, De Sarno says that Ancora, ancora, ancora is not about repetition but rather about attraction. Highlighting the desire behind Gucci, De Sarno emphasizes his will to play with Gucci’s appeal and make it a brand that people can only think of and yearn for. A return to what Gucci is about.

By Manon Le Claire