Icicle, the Chinese fashion brand with bases in Shanghai and Paris, known for its simple, minimalist style and in-house production, has named Sabato De Sarno as its new creative director.

De Sarno will lead the creative vision for the brand’s women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories, and eyewear lines. His debut collection for Icicle is set to launch for Fall/Winter 2027.

“Since Icicle was founded in 1997, our goal has always been to bring people closer to nature through timeless fashion,” said Ye Shouzeng, CEO and co-founder of Icicle, who started the brand with Shawna Tao in Shanghai nearly 30 years ago. “We believe this vision can only come to life by combining creative talent from around the world with Icicle’s deep cultural roots and manufacturing strengths in China. Sabato’s arrival is a key step forward in that journey,” he added in a statement shared with Vogue Business on Monday.

The Italian designer most recently served as creative director of Gucci, Kering’s biggest brand, from January 2023 to February 2025. Before that, he spent over a decade at Valentino, working his way up to fashion director and overseeing both men’s and women’s collections. He joined Dolce & Gabbana before moving to Valentino in 2009.

At this year’s Salone del Mobile, De Sarno took on a curator role with “Insieme,” an exhibition at Piscina Cozzi created with the Italian edition of Vanity Fair. It featured original designs from 12 Italian artisanal companies, including Venetian high-end textile and interior firm Rubelli and historic luxury glassmaker Venini, known for its Murano glass. The building’s facade showcased an installation made with French artist JR, featuring portraits of the 79 artisans involved in the project. In a detailed interview with Vogue Runway’s Tiziana Cardini before the exhibition opened, De Sarno was asked about his next steps and said: “I’m not looking for something big or small; I’m looking for the right place for me.”

Icicle is part of the ICCF Group, which also owns French fashion brand Carven. According to the announcement, Icicle’s “creative model is built around a dual structure spanning Paris and Shanghai, and it operates more than 200 stores worldwide, including flagship locations in Beijing, Shanghai, and Paris.”

Bénédicte Laloux, who has shaped Icicle’s womenswear creative identity and led the Paris design studio since 2013, will stay on as design director for the women’s show collection, working under De Sarno’s creative direction.

De Sarno’s move to Icicle also reconnects him with Kering, though in a limited way. Earlier this year, Kering CEO Luca de Meo announced the group’s minority investment in Icicle. “Our investment in Icicle is also about feeling more at home in China, and having friends there who can help us understand what’s happening, opening doors into the Chinese ecosystem,” de Meo explained at the group’s Capital Markets Day in April.

This appointment is part of a growing trend of artistic directors from major European luxury brands teaming up with Asian fashion companies. Recent examples include Francesco Risso with GU (owned by Fast Retailing), Kim Jones with Areal (owned by Bosideng), Kris Van Assche with Chinese sportswear giant Anta, Daniel Fletcher with Mithridate, and Clare Waight Keller with Uniqlo.

“I’ve always been drawn to design beyond the final product, from where raw materials come from to the craftsmanship that shapes them,” De Sarno said. “I was attracted to Icicle because its values closely match my own creative approach. The idea of harmony between humans and nature is something Icicle has explored for nearly 30 years, and it feels more important to me now than ever.”

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Sabato De Sarno turning his attention to the East written in a natural clear and concise tone

General Questions

1 Who is Sabato De Sarno
He is an Italian fashion designer who was most recently the Creative Director of Gucci He left that role in early 2025 and is now starting a new chapter in his career

2 What does turning his attention to the East actually mean
In this context it means he is moving his professional focus to Asia likely to take on a new creative role with a major fashion house or brand based in that region Its a shift from the Europeancentric fashion world hes been working in

3 Is he leaving Gucci for good
Yes He officially departed from Gucci in February 2025 This new move to the East is his next big career step after that departure

4 Why would a top Western designer move to the East
The Asian luxury market is massive and continues to grow For a designer it offers a chance to lead a major brand with huge resources tap into a new and dynamic cultural scene and be at the center of where much of the fashion industrys future growth is happening

5 Has he announced which specific brand he is joining
As of now it hasnt been officially confirmed The news is that he is in talks or has signed on for a major project in the East but the specific brand name hasnt been publicly announced yet

Industry Impact Questions

6 What kind of brands in the East might he be looking at
He could be looking at major luxury conglomerates in China established Japanese houses or large South Korean fashion groups Its likely a brand that wants to make a big global splash and needs a bigname designer to do it

7 What does this say about the global fashion power shift
It confirms that the center of gravity in luxury fashion is moving eastward Its a signal that Asian brands are no longer just manufacturing hubs but are becoming serious creative powerhouses that can attract top Western talent

8 Will his design style change now that hes in Asia
Not necessarily A designer usually brings their signature aesthetic to a new house However