ICICLE Appoints Sabato De Sarno as Creative Director

Září 7, 2026 - 17:00

Shanghai-founded fashion brand ICICLE has appointed Sabato De Sarno as its Creative Director, marking a new chapter in the label’s creative development.

In his new role, De Sarno will oversee the creative direction of ICICLE’s women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, as well as accessories and eyewear. His first collection for the brand is set to debut for the Autumn/Winter 2027–2028 season.

The appointment comes as ICICLE continues to expand its international presence and enters a new phase of its global development.

Summary

ICICLE has appointed Sabato De Sarno as its Creative Director
De Sarno will oversee women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories and eyewear, with his first collection set for Autumn/Winter 2027–2028
Bénédicte Laloux continues as Design Director of the Women’s Show Collection under De Sarno’s creative direction
De Sarno previously worked at Prada and Valentino and served as Creative Director of Gucci from 2023
ICCF, ICICLE’s parent company, received a minority investment from Kering in April 2026 to support international expansion and new categories

Reconnecting People With Nature Through Enduring Fashion

Founded in Shanghai in 1997, ICICLE has built its philosophy around harmony between people and nature, with an approach to fashion that emphasizes natural materials and craftsmanship.

Commenting on the appointment, Ye Shouzeng, CEO and Co-Founder of ICICLE, said: “Since ICICLE was founded in 1997, our ambition has always been to reconnect people with nature through enduring fashion. We believe this vision can only be realised by bringing together creative talent from around the world with ICICLE’s deep cultural roots and industrial strength in China. Sabato’s arrival marks an important step forward in this direction.”

De Sarno also highlighted the alignment between the brand’s principles and his own approach to design:

“I’ve always been fascinated by design beyond the final product, from the origins of raw materials to the craftsmanship that shapes them. I was drawn to ICICLE by the deep alignment between its principles and my own creative philosophy. Harmony between humans and nature is an idea ICICLE has explored for nearly thirty years, and it feels to me more relevant today than ever. I am grateful to Mr. Ye for his trust as we begin writing this chapter together with the entire team.”

The emphasis De Sarno places on material origins and craftsmanship intersects closely with ICICLE’s long-standing philosophy around nature and making. His appointment therefore represents not only a new creative leadership structure, but also an opportunity to reinterpret the brand’s established principles as it enters its next phase of development.

From Prada and Valentino to Gucci — and Now ICICLE

Born near Naples, Italy, in 1983, De Sarno began his career at Prada in 2003 before moving to Dolce & Gabbana. He joined Valentino in 2009, where he spent more than a decade working across menswear and womenswear and ultimately rose to Fashion Director. In 2023, he was appointed Creative Director of Gucci.

At ICICLE, Bénédicte Laloux will continue in her role as Design Director of the Women’s Show Collection, now working under De Sarno’s creative direction. Laloux most recently conceived ICICLE’s Autumn/Winter 2026 Atelier collection, “The Folds of Nature,” presented on the official Paris Fashion Week calendar.

A New Phase Following Kering’s Investment

De Sarno’s appointment also comes months after ICCF entered into a strategic partnership with Kering. In April 2026, the French luxury group announced that it would acquire a minority stake in ICCF as part of the agreement.

The partnership brings together ICCF’s understanding of the Chinese luxury ecosystem and cultural landscape with Kering’s expertise in craftsmanship, operations and brand development in Europe. Kering said its investment would support ICICLE’s next phase of development, including continued international expansion and the extension of its product offering into new categories.

The partnership is being pursued through House of Wonders, a strategic initiative launched by Kering to selectively support emerging luxury houses with cultural relevance across markets, categories and geographies. The initiative is designed around a long-term, partnership-led approach to brands with distinctive identities, authenticity and potential for global resonance.

For ICICLE, De Sarno’s arrival brings an internationally experienced creative voice to a brand approaching three decades of development around its relationship between fashion, nature and craftsmanship. How that philosophy evolves under his direction will begin to take shape with his first collection for Autumn/Winter 2027–2028.

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