“Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” the fashion doc to watch
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Here is a question that has been on our minds for a few months now: Who is Sabato De Sarno? While we all dream of filling our closets with his pieces of red leather and other platform loafers, the new Creative Director of Gucci remains quite enigmatic. This is how our curiosity was piqued when the Italian house announced the release of an exclusive documentary about its new recruit. Broadcast on the MUBI platform, “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” takes us behind the scenes of his first show Ancora and introduces us to the new prodigy. An analysis of a must-see fashion documentary!
Why watch “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story”?
This is a documentary that we all secretly dreamed of. “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” finally lifts the veil on the new prodigy of the Gucci house, as talented as he is mysterious. MUBI has just unveiled a 20-minute format, as dynamic as its protagonist. And after watching it, all we wish for is to have a new installment with each show!
Discover the universe of different creators
The dive into the universe is direct. Directed by Henry & Rel and punctuated by the voice of Paul Mescal, actor and house ambassador, the documentary captivates with its writing, stolen images, collage aesthetics, dynamic editing, and soundtrack… In short, everything.
In summary, “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” is the successful marriage of two creative visions. On one hand, that of the new Creative Director of the Italian house. And on the other, that of a duo of directors who perfectly blend aesthetics and storytelling, quirky tone and emotion. An artistic vision that complements that of Sabato De Sarno and presents him in a unique and addictive way.
The creative duo, composed of Henry Joost and Ariel (Rel) Schulman, founded their production company, Supermarket, in NYC in 2007. Since then, we have seen them on notable advertisements, including Dear Sophie for Google Chrome. Alongside content for Vogue, we also find them in fictions and documentaries, aired on Paramount + or Netflix.
A Gucci Story: diving into the excitement of a fashion show
“Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” captivates with its angle. Similar to the Netflix documentary “7 Days” following the creation of a Chanel show released in 2018, the MUBI documentary also aims to reveal the behind-the-scenes of a Gucci show. But not just any show.
Indeed, the documentary chooses to present the new Creative Director by infiltrating the preparation for his first show for the Italian house : Ancora. And all we can say is that it is not a walk in the park.
Between creating the collection, composing the looks, casting, planning the show, creating the playlist, communication, and other weather-related obstacles… We follow all the excitement of the setup of this first Gucci chapter. But that’s not all.
We also discover Sabato De Sarno’s first steps at Gucci’s Milan headquarters and his exploration of his new office. We witness a stream of emotions, more or less controlled amid this fast-paced life, but experienced with a strange serenity by the main character!
Birth of a collection inspired by two eras
The documentary “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” invites us to revisit the genesis of the collection presented at the Gucci Ancora show. Between classics, reinterpretations, and new pieces, the collection consists of items nourished by one idea: to follow a red thread.
Through the discovery of the archives of the Italian house, initial sketches, prototypes, and accessorizing… We follow the evolution of Sabato De Sarno’s creative thinking, his way of creating and collaborating.
The collection is a link between two eras, a spirit of continuity, which is felt in its philosophy of “Ancora”. And this extends to the soundtrack of the show, notably composed of an Italian hit from the 70s remixed by Mark Ronson, known for I’m Just Ken from the Barbie film.
“Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci story” an ode to family
Although the documentary “Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story” highlights the creation of the show, it gradually reveals the man behind the creation. We discover the journey of a passionate individual, determined and dedicated to training at the biggest houses to understand the techniques, fabrics, and trades… A rigorous job, done in the shadows, which allowed him to climb the ranks to this moment of grace: his appointment as Creative Director at Gucci, succeeding Alessandro Michele.
We discover a creative who cannot stay still, yet seems to practice, at the same time, a sort of zen calm at odds with his pace. The documentary reveals someone restrained in the face of the novelty of press photo shoots. And, a dancer at heart once midnight strikes or an aspiring model in his spare time. Sabato De Sarno embodies passion, hard work, a zest for life, but also family.
The documentary emphasizes the importance of his entourage. Whether it is his parents, his partner, his friends, his colleagues, and even (and especially) his dog, his family of blood and heart seems to be his foundation, his driving force. With 90 seats reserved for his loved ones in the front rows of his Gucci Ancora show, Sabato De Sarno highlighted their importance. They come, as he says, for him and not for all the Gucci excitement.
A way to stay grounded, for this rather discreet creator, but above all passionate!
A documentary available on MUBI right now!
Photos: Pinterest
