Clerical garb is set to become the latest fashion rage, as Versace has launched a new 'clergyman look' range.According to Donatella Versace, the range represents a triumph of ‘more brain and less muscle’ and was inspired by the fifty year old papal secretary, Fr Georg Gänswein.
‘I find his austerity very elegant. It is the right moment to show an ethical and spiritual man, free from all those pointless details,’ she said, adding her ideal man ‘has biceps but looks for his inside quality and trains it up, the muscles of the soul.’
The new range features black jackets and white shirts with a ‘clerical style’ collar, and won unanimous praise at the recent Men’s Fashion Week in Milan.
Fr Gänswein became the Pope’s personal secretary in 2003. Born in the Black Forest town of Riedern-am-Wald, he was a part-time ski instructor in Germany and a professor at the Santa Croce University in Rome run by Opus Dei, before joining the Pope's staff.
When he turned 50 last July he gave a rare interview to Vatican Radio revealing his daily routine with the Pope.
‘The Pope’s day begins with Mass at 7am, followed by morning prayer and a period of contemplation,’ he said. ‘Afterwards we eat breakfast together, and my day then begins with sorting through the correspondence, which arrives in considerable quantity.’ He said that he accompanied the Pope to morning audiences, followed by lunch together, a ‘short walk’ and a rest, after which ‘I present to the Pope documents which require his signature, or his study and approval’.
Meanwhile the fashion conscious have been flocking to the Vatican department store this week to take advantage of huge sale reductions in the already low tax free prices.
The three-floor emporium inside the Vatican is officially open only to Vatican staff, clergy and diplomats, but if people are wily enough to get a membership card from a friendly priest or Vatican cleaner, they can avail of the huge reductions on a range of items, from clothes, to suitcases, flat-screen TVs, chocolates and cigarettes.
Italian daily Il Giornale said bargains included a leather handbag by Italian firm Coccinelle for €108, compared with €180 in shops a stone's throw away. Ralph Lauren shirts are being snapped up for €64, down from €120.
One hopes this doesn't upset Il Papa who has indeed set his own fashion trends since election almost 2 years ago but surely this must rankle that little bit....