From a super star Jesus Christ to a Cistercian monk. A 39-year-old man named Sabato De Sarno has been announced as Gucci’s new creative director. He was previously the fashion director at Valentino. Prada SpA was where he began his career before working for Dolce & Gabbana Srl. In 2009 he joined Valentino .

In November, Alessandro Michele stepped down as Gucci’s creative director, vacated by Sabato di Sarno. Much like Michele when she stepped into the Italian house seven years ago, Di Sarno’s career has largely been behind the scenes up to this point, albeit at various fashion houses.

It is an honor to have Sabato join Gucci as the house’s new creative director, one of the most influential positions in the luxury industry.”

Gucci’s president and CEO, Marco Bizzarri, commented. “I am confident that Sabato’s deep understanding and appreciation for Gucci’s unique legacy will enable him to lead our creative teams with a distinctive vision, reinforcing the house’s fashion authority and capitalising on its rich heritage as he writes this exciting next chapter.”

It will be interesting to see how Di Sarno’s vision for the home plays out in practice. Michele reimagined Gucci Beauty in 2015, and the brand’s revenue quadrupled to €10 billion. However, the label has lagged behind rivals like Louis Vuitton and Dior financially in recent years.