The former Gucci designer will oversee all product categories ahead of a Fall 2027 debut, sharpening the Shanghai-born brand’s global ambitions
Icicle has appointed Sabato De Sarno as creative director, placing the former Gucci designer at the center of its international expansion.
De Sarno will oversee women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories and eyewear. His first collection will arrive for Fall 2027, giving him an extended period to define a unified creative and product strategy across the business.
Bénédicte Laloux will remain design director of the women’s show collection under De Sarno. Laloux has helped shape Icicle’s womenswear and Paris design studio since joining the company in 2013, providing continuity as its creative structure evolves.
The appointment follows Kering’s minority investment in Icicle parent ICCF in April. The partnership is intended to support Icicle’s international expansion and development across new product categories through Kering’s House of Wonders investment platform.
A Global Ambition Takes Form
Founded in Shanghai in 1997, Icicle has built its identity around natural materials, understated design and vertically integrated production. The company operates more than 200 stores, with a substantial domestic network and a developing presence in Paris.
De Sarno’s appointment introduces a designer with experience across several of Italy’s largest luxury houses. He began his career at Prada, moved through Dolce & Gabbana and spent more than a decade at Valentino, ultimately overseeing men’s and women’s collections as fashion director. He was appointed creative director of Gucci in 2023.
His product-driven approach offers a clear fit with Icicle’s emphasis on material quality and enduring design. His broad remit also signals where the company sees its next opportunities. Ready-to-wear currently defines the business, while accessories and eyewear offer greater potential for international recognition and commercial scale.
Continuity Meets Expansion
Keeping Laloux within the studio gives Icicle a bridge between its established aesthetic and De Sarno’s incoming direction. The structure preserves the knowledge developed between Paris and Shanghai while placing the wider collection under one creative authority.
The timing is equally telling. A Fall 2027 debut creates space for De Sarno to work across product, image and merchandising before presenting his first collection. That measured transition aligns with a brand built around longevity and controlled growth.
For Kering, Icicle represents an early test of House of Wonders: a Chinese-founded company with domestic scale, industrial capabilities and global potential. For Icicle, De Sarno brings international visibility and experience managing a full luxury wardrobe.
The appointment advances Icicle’s evolution from a successful Chinese fashion business into a more globally articulated luxury brand. De Sarno’s first collection will reveal how effectively that ambition can be expressed through product.