NEWSLETTER

INTERVIEWS BY LORENZO GIGOTTI
PHOTOS BY FEDERICA PALMARIN

Raniero Mancinelli

Besides being Europe's only absolute monarch, the highest authority of the Catholic Church, and the head of state of the smallest country in the world, the Pope is one of few human beings who can claim to be officially infallible. It must be pretty great. In truth, it's a sort of Catch-22 because the dogma of papal infallibility was decreed by the Catholic Church, which the Pope obviously leads, but anyway: the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error. Therefore, he must be the best dressed man in the entire planet. He can't make mistakes! There's no bad hair days for the Pope, no possibility of a fashion faux-pas. He's infallible! And who says? The Holy Spirit says, that's who! And it's not like the guy doesn't push the boundaries. Green vestments embroidered with crosses, tiny white skullcaps, ankle-length silk robes, red leather shoes and mozzettas (the short, hooded scarlet capes worn over the robes) are all daring choices. And they're all produced according to the conventions of traditional Roman ecclesiastical tailoring, a style evolved over the past seven centuries.

The current Pope, Benedict XVI, sparked a small tailoiring controversy when accounts emerged of his ditching Gammarelli, the official tailor of the Holy See since 1793, in favor of competitor Mancinelli. Gammarelli angrily denies ever having been set aside, although Euroclero, a relative newcomer to the business, also claims to be dressing its “first Pope.” In keeping with the Catholic Church's notorious secrecy and hush-hush policy, the entire scandal had been very confusing and mysterious. Nobody really knows who’s dressing the Pope at this point. We decided to send a few of our people down to the Vatican to interview some of these tailors, hoping to find out more about the whole sorry mess. We soon found out that either nobody in the Vatican was willing to sing out of tune, or that they have no clue either. We didn't get any dirt on the Pope's clothing choices. But we did get a glance in the world of clerical tailoring, straight from the heart of the Holy See.


Raniero Mancinelli has been a clerical tailor for more than four decades. He’s the proprietor of a shop in Borgo Pio, a few steps away from St. Peter's square, the one that the Pope theoretically swithced to after ditching Gammarelli. He wouldn’t talk about it but admits to having dressed both Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

Vice: How did you become an ecclesistical tailor?

Raniero Mancinelli: I went to a private Catholic school and I specialized in textile design. It wasn't called textile design at the time, of course. Around the beginning of 60s, before the Second Vatican Council, I figured out there was a demand for ecclesiastical tailors and I saw an opportunity, so I started to specialize in that sector.

Is there a technical difference between a normal tailor and an ecclesiastical tailor?

Not really. The main difference is that we have to know exactly what all the priests and the bishops and archbishops and cardinals wear—the whole hierarchy.

What kind of fabric do you use?

In the 60s we mostly used silk, but today it is the exclusive cloth of the Holy Father. White is the perfect color for Him. It's very delicate, and silk is perfect for it. For the cardinals I use lambswool and terital, nothing exceptional. I also use damask for the liturgical wear. But I almost always use Italian cloth.

So what are the specific requirements for clerical wear?

The cassock, when worn, should fall well on the body and around the neck, without creases or wrinkles. Of course, when a cardinal or priest wears it he has to be able to move freely and not feel constricted by it. The collar has to be of the right height, around 1.5 inches, but it has to be proportionate to his neck so that he doesn't look too “hanged” on one side, or all wrapped up on the other.


Forgive my curiosity, but what do preists wear beneath the cassock?

The same that we do! On top of that, they wear a white camisole that goes beneath the liturgical wear. But underneath the cassock they wear normal pants. If it's warm they wear shorts.

Do the different colors have specific meanings?

Sure. White is for Christmas and Easter, green is for normal mass, red is for the martyrs, and purple for Advent and Lent.

Can you tell me about the differences in clothing among different ecclesiastical orders?

The so-called Roman is a cossack with external buttons and with borders of a different color; the Salesian is a black tunic with hidden buttons. The Jesuits wear no buttons—it's a simple black cassock that looks somewhat like a sack with a sash. These are the main orders and the main differences between them. The other orders are all inspired by elements of these.

I really dig the Jesuits who wear hoodies.

Ah, you mean the monk's cassock. I never cut one of those. They are very wide and shapeless, with a shoulder cape and a hoodie. I know that until a short while ago they used to sew them themselves.

Do you think the Pope is something of a fashion icon in the clerical world?

Absolutely. If the Pope wears a particular hat, for example, we always get clients who ask for a copy of that precise hat. Right now Benedict XVI wears a ring called a “fisherman's ring,” and many cardinals and bishops ask for it.

I also heard the Pope's current PA is something of a sex symbol. Apparently he inspired designers.

No, no! He's an excellent assistant. He's a hard worker, who always gives his best to help the Pope in every possible way. But in terms of fashion, he wears a simple buttoned black cassock.

Isn't he a good looking guy?

Well, that's what female journalists say.

Can we men say it too?

Yes, sure. He has good presence. He's a good-looking blond!



What's your rapport with your clients?

I've known the majority of my clients for years. They come here first as ministers, and often I see them grow into monsignori, bishops, or cardinals. I often have very confidential relationships with them. When they come in I read their minds and I foresee what they need. I often foresee if they've been promoted without them having to tell me. They accept this from me.

Who spends the most?

Americans. Lately, with the weak dollar, they're slightly penalized but until a few years ago the American client was my favorite client, the one who'd spend the most, especially because it's very difficult to find quality clerical wear in the States. Rome, in this sector, is the peak of the world. Foreigners buy everything here. Our excellence is guaranteed.

Are there specific times of the year in which you work more than others?

The end of the school year, because the kids in the seminaries go back home and need new clothes for the summer. Then, of course, around the feast of St. Peter and Paul we have many cardinals and bishops that want new cassocks. Demand for liturgical wear stays constant throughout the year.

So how much does this cost someone?

It depends. I can't say. Put it this way: a bit more than what you think, a bit less than what you imagine.

And who pays?

Everyone pays their own!

Do priests prefer to have female or male tailors?

They prefer men, of course. They feel more at ease. Things now are very different, but years ago they wouldn't even allow my wife to serve them.


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