Sabato De Sarno is the new creative director of Icicle The Shanghai brand has existed since 1997 but only arrived at Paris Fashion Week last year

Sabato De Sarno is the new Creative Director of Icicle. The Italian designer, who previously led Gucci between 2023 and 2025, will take on the creative direction of the brand's entire universe: women's and men's ready-to-wear, accessories, and eyewear. His first collection will be presented for the FW28 season next year. The brand, founded in Shanghai in 1997, actually has its design studio in Paris, which since 2013 has operated under the direction of Bénédicte Laloux, who will retain her role as Design Director of the Women's Show Collection.

Ye Shouzeng, CEO and co-founder of ICICLE, stated: "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 talents from around the world with ICICLE's deep cultural roots and industrial strength in China. Sabato's arrival represents an important step in this direction." De Sarno said he was "drawn to ICICLE by the profound alignment between its principles and my creative philosophy. The harmony between human beings and nature is an idea that ICICLE has been exploring for nearly thirty years." But what is the story behind the brand?

A heritage brand, new developments

Founded in Shanghai in 1997, Icicle is a brand specialising in ready-to-wear and is the flagship label of the ICCF group that owns it. The brand is built on the idea of harmony between humanity and nature, and therefore works primarily with highly prized natural fabrics. Its creative model is founded on a dual structure between Paris and Shanghai, and it counts over 200 points of sale worldwide, with flagship stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and Paris. The particularly interesting aspect, however, is that just a few months ago the brand received a significant investment from Kering, which is now a minority shareholder.

On 16 April, Kering and ICCF formalised a strategic partnership under which the French group acquired a minority stake in ICCF. The transaction falls within the "House of Wonders" initiative, a platform launched by Kering to selectively support emerging luxury houses with strong cultural relevance across different markets, categories, and geographies. The partnership forms part of the strategic investment that Luca De Meo is making in Chinese luxury brands, on which it is hoped the spending of essential Chinese consumers can be focused.

ICCF will contribute its knowledge of the Chinese luxury ecosystem and the local cultural landscape; Kering will bring its European expertise in craftsmanship, operations, and brand development. Kering's investment is therefore intended to support Icicle's international and product expansion, which could grow considerably, particularly in the areas of accessories and leather goods. The choice of De Sarno appears to be aimed at an international expansion of the brand that "leverages" the name of a well-known designer capable of generating resonance for Icicle beyond its home market.