If the clothes make the man, one little Roman shop helps make the pope.
Gammarelli Ecclesiastical Tailoring has been crafting papal vestments since 1798. And the three white cassocks now on display in the store's window prove that the family-owned shop is ready for whoever is selected to succeed Pope Benedict.
The gowns come in three sizes – small, medium and large – to fit whoever is chosen.
Benedict stepped down from his position last month, the first pope to abdicate in nearly 600 years. A conclave of Catholic cardinals has been meeting in Rome to choose his successor.
More scrutiny has been paid to the pope’s attire over the past several years because of Benedict’s fondness for particular wardrobe pieces, especially his red leather shoes.
The loafers are not Prada, as widely reported initially. Instead, they are made by a cobbler shop just outside St. Peter’s Square.
A pair of the shoes also are on display at Gammarelli’s shop as well.
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Pope to wear white, but no red shoes after abdication