Well, we just saw Gucci’s Fall 2025 collection. No creative director at the helm—just the design team putting together a collection that felt like a mixtape of past eras. I could see Tom Ford’s sleek sex appeal, Alessandro Michele’s maximalist eccentricity, and hints of Sabato De Sarno’s quiet, structured elegance. I didn’t hate it, but let’s be real—it was a collection without a vision. And that’s what Gucci needs right now: a vision.

Can We Talk About Sabato?

I need to say this loud and clear: I LOVED Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci. Every. Single. Collection. LOVED.

When Kering announced his departure, I wasn’t just surprised—I was genuinely disappointed. Actually, scratch that—I was thoroughly, painfully, and viscerally disappointed. Because I was so looking forward to his full Fall 2025 collection. Pre-Fall was an absolute dream, and I had zero doubt that Fall was going to be just as good—if not better. And now? We’ll never see it.

It honestly felt like Gucci pulled the rug out from under him before he even had time to settle in.

Let’s talk about what made his Gucci so good.

Sabato understood something that a lot of people don’t: Gucci was never meant to be understated, but it also wasn’t meant to be a costume party. He found the balance.

His Gucci was retro, but never gimmicky.
It was refined, but never quiet luxury.
It was sexy, but not in-your-face about it.
It felt modern and technical, but always, always rooted in Gucci’s DNA.

His Pre-Fall collection? No exaggeration, I would have worn every single look. He played with “the wrong colors” (his words), and yet, everything came together beautifully. His cuts? Precise. His eye for tailoring? Unmatched. It was one of those collections that felt timeless yet fresh—the kind of Gucci that you actually want to wear.

And let’s not forget that his ready-to-wear was stunning. He took silhouettes that could have been boring and made them elevated, thoughtful, and structured. He knew how to create technical tension in a look—where everything seems simple at first, but then you notice the details, and suddenly it’s art.

People didn’t give him enough credit for that.

Kering Gave Him No Time to Win

I know a lot of people are saying, “oh but Gucci wasn’t selling. Yeah, ok—but one thing I will die on a hill about is this: one man cannot fight against the financial markets! Gucci’s numbers weren’t where Kering wanted them to be, and instead of stepping back and reassessing their pricing, their strategy, their positioning, they just blamed the creative director.

Let’s be real: Gucci moved too fast with their price hikes.

They raised ready-to-wear and leather goods prices aggressively, shutting out aspirational customers.
They assumed they could play in the Hermès space—when they should have stayed in their lane.
The global luxury market was cooling off, and instead of adapting, they panicked and scapegoated Sabato.

He was never going to magically make Gucci grow in one year while competing against inflation, luxury spending shifts, and market uncertainty. He was doing his job.

Gucci should have backed him.

The Sabato Effect: Why His Gucci Was Special

Sabato didn’t just design for Gucci, he designed within Gucci’s DNA.

He took the 70s heritage and modernized it.
He played with textures and colors in ways that felt unexpected but still wearable.
He wasn’t afraid to edit—every piece felt intentional.
His accessories? Sleek. Chic. Understated in a way that felt powerful.
And let’s talk about his casting. One thing I deeply respected about Sabato? He understood the importance of diversity. His runways weren’t just filled with the usual faces—he embraced different skin tones, features, and backgrounds. As a brown-skinned girl, I loved seeing models that actually reflected a broader vision of beauty. It’s something I wish more brands would take seriously, but with Sabato, it never felt like a checkbox—it felt intentional, natural, and necessary.

And more than anything, his collections had a pulse. They weren’t just runway moments—they were collections that felt like they could live in people’s closets. That’s what Gucci needed.

And that’s what we lost.

Alessandro’s Legacy & The Brand Fatigue Problem

Let me be honest—I loved Alessandro Michele’s early Gucci. It was fantasy, romantic, nerdy chic—but in a cool way. But by the end? It was getting repetitive. The whimsy was there, but it felt forced. Gucci was known for surprisingus, and after a while, it stopped doing that. And once that happens, the customer checks out.

Sabato pulled it back in, refined it, made it wearable again—but I feel like people didn’t give him time.

So Who’s Next? The Gucci Rumor Mill

So now that we’re here, the question is: Who’s coming in? Because the house can’t float without a creative director for too long. Here are the names floating around:

Hedi Slimane – Left Celine in October 2024. Could he be in talks? Possibly. Do I think he fits Gucci? Not at all. He’s all about rockstar minimalism, and Gucci needs someone who understands drama, sensuality, and a little weirdness.

Jonathan Anderson – People love throwing his name around, but I honestly don’t see him leaving Loewe for Gucci.

Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez – They just left their brand… Could they be looking for a new home?

Fabien Baron – A little out there as a choice, but hey, if Gucci wants to shake things up…

What’s Next for Gucci?

The Fall 2025 collection? Liked it, didn’t love it. But that’s not even the point. Gucci needs to pick up the pieces.The luxury landscape is shifting, people aren’t impulse-buying $4,000 bags the way they used to, and Gucci needs to figure out how to move forward without alienating their core audience.

I’ll always root for Gucci. I want them to succeed. I want them to find their magic again. But they need a leader. And they need to stop thinking they can play in the same space as Hermès—because they can’t. Gucci’s power was always in its mass appeal. If they forget that? They’re in trouble.

So, who do you think is coming in? And are you still Team Sabato, or are you glad to see a change? Food for thought!

Gucci FW25: A House Without a Captain