Rome, Italy – For the princes of the Catholic Church, as cardinals are referred to, the conclave is not just about electing a pope. It is also about restocking wardrobes.In recent days, many have swung by central Rome’s famed tailors before the conclave to browse and buy refined clerical vestments that are hard to find elsewhere.
The Gammarelli family – whose artisans have been stitching vestments for popes for the past 100 years and garments for priests, bishops and cardinals since the 18th century – is among the most coveted brand.
But Stefano Gammarelli, the sixth generation Gammarelli running the shop, said his bespoke tailors will not be dressing the next pope just yet. The Vatican informed the family this year that it will reuse cassocks from past elections – a move seen by some as honouring the environmentally friendly and waste-averse Francis, who died on April 21.
“We will hope for the next conclave,” Gammarelli told Al Jazeera.
The Gammarelli family’s tailors have been stitching vestments for popes for the past 100 years and garments for priests, bishops and cardinals since the 18th century [Virginia Pietromarchi/Al Jazeera]
As with previous conclaves and before being told there was no need for its services, Gammarelli’s team of tailors had gathered the measurements of cardinals who were among their clients and created cassocks for those they believed stood a good chance of being elected as the next leader of the Catholic Church. Adver …
