As cardinals preen themselves for their big moment
at next month's conclave, an equally intense rivalry is playing out
behind the scenes. For some Italians, just as important as who becomes pope is who dresses him, reports The Times.
Two distinguished ecclesiastic outfitters are vying to make the ivory-white tunics that the new head of the Roman Catholic Church will wear as he preaches to his flock around the world.
The historic tailor's shop, Gammarelli, near the Pantheon, which has dressed the Roman curia since 1798, is up against the upstart Euroclero, picked by Benedict himself.
The Vatican insisted that, despite claims, the Pontiff was "not dressed by Prada but by Christ".
But the bookish German-born theologian did take a close interest in clothes, unlike his predecessor.
Benedict, a diehard traditionalist, has been accused by church progressives of "turning back the clock" on the papal wardrobe.
He is apt to sport an extra-tall bejewelled mitre in the 19th-century style. He revived the mozzetta, a waist-length cape, and the red-velvet, fur-trimmed cap known as the camauro, which had fallen out of fashion since the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.
But he also raised eyebrows by wearing sunglasses.
For the 800th anniversary of the conversion of St Francis in 2007, he dressed in a costume by the fashion house Gattinoni, by stylist Guillermo Mariotto.
That year Esquire magazine saluted his combination of an "ornate papal habit" with red shoes by naming him the "Accessoriser of the Year".
Benedict, however, leaves a legacy of sartorial discord that sets the scene for a battle of the new pope's wardrobe.
When he was named Pope in 2005, he walked on to the balcony of St Peter's wearing the ivory robes of Gammarelli, who had also dressed John Paul II.
But the cassock
was criticised as too short and hovered above his ankles.In 2007, Benedict reportedly switched to Euroclero, which he had used before becoming Pope, at least partly because its shop was just in front of his office.
Since then, Euroclero has made his white papal tunics with 30 buttons down the front.