Overview

• Raniero Mancinelli, an 86-year-old tailor based near the Vatican, is preparing small, medium, and large white cassocks for the next pope, whose identity will remain unknown until the conclave concludes.
• This marks the first time since 1978 that the Vatican has not formally commissioned papal vestments ahead of a conclave, reflecting shifts toward sustainability and existing stock considerations.
• Mancinelli has dressed John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis during their papacies, tailoring garments that reflected their distinct stylistic preferences.
• Cardinals visiting Rome for the conclave requested red robes from Mancinelli, but he declined, anticipating that one of them might need white robes instead.
• The conclave to elect the 267th pope begins on May 7, with Mancinelli aiming to ensure his cassocks are ready for the new pontiff’s first public appearance on the St. Peter’s Basilica balcony.