Sandra‘s Closet

Breaking news before the weekend: Valentino has named former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele its creative director. Only a week after designer Pierpaolo Piccioli exited the Roman couture house after 25 years, including 8 years as its sole creative director.

The brand will not show menswear or haute couture in June. Michele’s first show for the brand will take place during Paris Fashion Week in September.

«I feel the immense joy and the huge responsibility to join a maison de couture that has the word ‘beauty’ carved on a collective story, made of distinctive elegance, refinement and extreme grace,» Michele said in a statement.

Gucci S/S 2016 designed by Alessandro Michele

Rumors were that Michele would head to LVMH, so the news come a little unexpected. Valentino is owned by Mayhoola, the fashion group backed by the Qatari royal family that also owns Balmain and Pal Zileri. Last year, Kering acquired 30 percent of Valentino for €1.7 billion – implying a valuation worth of €5 billion – as part of a broader partnership with Mayhoola. The agreement gave Kering the option to acquire 100 percent of Valentino «no later than 2028». The former Gucci designer – a brand that also belongs to Kering – is a is known for its maximalist aesthetic that helped triple sales at the megabrand.

The designer will work once more with chief executive Jacopo Venturini, who previously led Gucci’s merchandising efforts alongside Michele and then-CEO Marco Bizzarri before joining Valentino.

«The reinterpretation of the maison’s couture codes and the heritage created by Mr. Valentino Garavani, combined with Alessandro’s extraordinary vision, will bring us moments of great emotion and will translate into irresistibly desirable objects,» Venturini said.

Kering chairman François-Henri Pinault added in a statement: «With his creativity, culture and versatile talent, Alessandro Michele will be able to interpret masterfully the unique heritage of this magnificent house and make it flourish.»

Valentino S/S 2024 ad campaign

It is an interesting choice and I am really looking forward to seeing how Michele will interpret the House of Valentino, which stands for sophistication, femininity and great tailoring.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
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Gucci announces Gucci Cosmos, a major new exhibition of the House’s most iconic and timeless designs from its 102-year history. A playful voyage that spirals backwards and forwards through the decades, Gucci Cosmos consists of eight immersive ‘worlds’ devised by renowned British artist Es Devlin to create a cutting-edge audio, visual, and kinetic experience.

Curated by Italian fashion theorist and critic Maria Luisa Frisa, Gucci Cosmos showcases era-defining pieces from the Gucci Archive in Florence. Encompassing work by founder Guccio Gucci and his creative successors, up to Tom Ford, Frida Giannini, and Alessandro Michele, the exhibition demonstrates how the visionary ethos at the heart of the House has continuously reflected and defined the times.

The Gucci archive space at Palazzo Settimanni in Florence, Italy.

Gucci plans to present Gucci Cosmos at West Bund Art Center in Shanghai from April 28 to June 25 before touring the world.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci
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Kering and Gucci announced that Sabato De Sarno will assume the role of Creative Director for the House. De Sarno will present his debut runway collection at Milan Women’s Fashion Week in September 2023.

In his new role, De Sarno will lead the House’s Design Studio reporting to Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci, with the responsibility for defining and expressing the House’s creative vision across the women’s, men’s, leather goods, accessories and lifestyle collections.

Past & Future: GUCCI Cruise 2023 Ad Campaign shot by Mert and Marcus

Sabato De Sarno was raised in Naples, Italy. He began his career at Prada in 2005, moving to Dolce & Gabbana, before joining Valentino in 2009, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, finally being appointed Fashion Director overseeing both men’s and women’s collections. Sabato De Sarno will start in his new position as soon as he will have completed all his obligations in his current role.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Gucci / © Riccardo Raspa / © Mert and Marcus
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12 years – as crazy as it sounds but I have been blogging now for 144 months, which is around 4380 days, and this is my 4924th post which means I wrote at least one per day. I am thankful, Sandra’s Closet has taken me on the craziest, busiest but most beautiful ride in my life.

To celebrate this beautiful occasion, I have an amazing contest for you. You can win two tickets for the Swiss premiere of the new movie HOUSE OF GUCCI on November 30th, 2021 which will take place at the Pathé Cinema in Spreitenbach (doors open at 6.30pm, movie starts at 8pm). Opened in 2019, it is the most modern cinema of all experiences with 10 rooms that are all equipped with comfortable seats (or beds) and the best image. The movie will officially hit the theaters in German-speaking Switzerland on December 2, 2021.

HOUSE OF GUCCI is the newest production from producer and director Ridley Scott with the most star-studded casts. Among the many recognizable faces are Lady Gaga, Jared Leto, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, and Salma Hayek. Based on the book by journalist Sara Gay Forden, that I read many years ago, it tells the true story of the feuding Italian dynasty that culminated when Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), the glamorous socialite, was charged with arranging the murder of her husband Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) in 1997. The movie is the perfect mixture of true crime and fashion. It shows some incredible Eighties fashion, styled by costume designer Janty Yates who was able to browse through the Gucci’s archives.

Here is your chance to win! Enjoy this new blockbuster movie in a plush cinema seat with popcorn and champagne. To win the two tickets for the Swiss premiere, visit my Instagram page and comment on this picture. I will announce the winner on Friday this week.

Good luck and thank you for reading Sandra’s Closet! I will also be at the premiere and cannot wait to see you and indulge in this blockbuster movie together!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography, © Universal Pictures, @patheschweiz
#HouseofGucci #HouseofGucciFilm #HouseofGucciMovie #sandrascloset

This week during the Kering 2017  Talk at the London College of Fashion, GUCCI President & CEO Marco Bizzarri unveiled the brand’s new ten-year «Culture of Purpose» sustainability plan with two major announcements. One is very surprising to me, the house’s pledge to go fur-free beginning with the S/S 2018 collection by joining the FUR FREE ALLIANCE. According to a statement, GUCCI will no longer «use, promote, or publicize animal fur» in its collections and will be organizing a charity auction of remaining animal fur items with proceeds to benefit LAV and THE HUMANE SOCIETY.

Gucci President & CEO Marco Bizzari at the Kering 2017 Talk

Building on its long term CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign for gender equality, Gucci is donating € 1 million as a Founding Partner of UNICEF’s Girls’ Empowerment Initiative, which underpins the company’s approach to creating a more responsible business.

This will help UNICEF reach more than 50,000 girls directly with programs aimed at empowering them, and indirectly reach 150,000 more.

Gucci’s bestseller: the Horsebit-detailed shearling-lined leather slippers.

Following Kering’s sustainability framework, the plan is focused on three pillars:

Environment – Gucci is committed to reducing its environmental impacts and is setting ambitious targets to create a new standard in luxury retail, e.g. guaranteeing the traceability of 95% of our raw materials.

Humanity – Gucci recognises the value of its employees and is dedicated to enhancing the lives of the people who make its products as well as supporting communities, e.g. responsible and innovative management of the supply chain (Gucci was recently awarded with the Green Carpet Fashion award for Sustainable Innovation), gender equality (59% women senior manager, campaigns to support girls and women empowerment), diversity and inclusion (membership with Parks).

New Models – Gucci is developing new solutions by applying technical innovation to improve efficiency in its production and logistics. e.g. setting up an incubator and start-up environment to foster innovation within the company.

A look from the Gucci S/S 2018 that will obviously not be produced!

Explaining the origins of GUCCI’s progressive approach, Marco Bizzarri attributed dynamic change to the unified vision he shares with the brand’s creative director, Alessandro Michele, «In selecting a new creative director I wanted to find someone who shared a belief in the importance of the same values. I sensed that immediately on meeting Alessandro for the first time. Together, by committing to a culture of purpose, taking responsibility and encouraging respect, inclusivity and empowerment, we want to create the necessary conditions for a progressive approach to sustainability.»

To a better future!

LoL, Sandra

This Resort 2017 fur coat with snake intarsia will probably become a museum piece.

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci, © Getty/Gucci