ROME—Gucci has revealed that Demna, renowned artistic director at Balenciaga, will take over the creative reins of the iconic Italian luxury brand this July. In a recent announcement, Gucci, alongside its parent company Kering, praised Demna for redefining contemporary luxury fashion and solidifying his influence in the industry.
Demna, known mononymously, has spent ten years at Balenciaga—also under the Kering umbrella—establishing himself as a pivotal force in fashion design. “Joining the Gucci family is a thrilling opportunity. Contributing to a house I’ve always held in high esteem is a true honor,” Demna expressed.
His final showcase for Balenciaga took place mere days ago in Paris. The collection focused on commercial appeal, moving away from extravagant presentations. This announcement follows a period of uncertainty regarding Gucci’s creative leadership, sparked by the sudden departure of Sabato De Sarno just over two weeks before the Fall-Winter 2025-26 collection roll-out at Milan Fashion Week.
De Sarno had succeeded Alessandro Michele, whose impact on Gucci was groundbreaking with gender-fluid, avant-garde, romantic designs that redefined the brand’s identity. However, despite Michele’s transformative vision, his more subdued collections did not maintain consumer interest as anticipated.
