De Sarno’s ‘Love Letters’ to Milan
Gucci’s creative director, Sabato De Sarno, has written his second “love letter” to Milan, “Gucci Perspectives 2 Ancora Milano.” The volume, released just before Milan Fashion Week and De Sarno’s second show, is part of a series of De Sarno’s publications and acts as a” portrait of the city,” according to Gucci, that focuses on “pursuing and underscoring the conversation between art and fashion.” The show was curated by Paola Antonelli from the Museum of Modern Art. De Sarno and she both emphasized the Milanese perspective, and the attention to the city’s unique architectural and spatial elements. Paolo states that they were “inspired by the idea of frictions and attritions, contrasting flashes of brutalism with visions of commercial, entrepreneurial, and industrial refinement, exploring the clichés of bourgeois elegance without discounting the more complex and radical nuances that make it quintessentially Milanese.” This perspective shapes Gucci’s creative expression. MUSE comments that “Sabato De Sarno seems to want to immerse himself in many small operations that contribute to influencing his fashion and culture through a unique and contemporary perspective.”
Before Gucci, De Sarno worked at Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino, however typically behind the scenes. Vogue Business recalls an interview in which he explained his stance as a fashion designer. Growing up in a small village near Naples, ”[he] was very interested in what people were wearing in the streets because it’s the first way that you communicate to other people who you are. This is when I started to think about creating clothes, because it’s about helping people to be themselves.” They also mention the initial stages of the role, in which he wanted to encourage his team. He said “I called everyone into my office, and I said I know I’m your creative director, but I’m Sabato and I was in your position only 20 days ago and I know what you’re thinking, and why you aren’t saying anything. I know you’re scared because a lot of things are changing and you feel part of the old Gucci. But now you are here, and if you are here, you are my team, and I need your opinion.”
De Sarno further explained that the reason he uses the word “ancora,” saying “I want people to fall in love with Gucci again.”
Article by Alana Courtney-Gleeson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine
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