Pope Leo XIV’s distinctive style and his inclusion on a list of the world’s best-dressed figures have focused attention on Filippo Sorcinelli, the Italian designer who has dressed Benedict XVI and Francis, among others.
In an interview with Britain’s Daily Mail, Sorcinelli described Leo’s style as one of moderation and order, “a poised demeanor that above all is indicative of an orderly inner life and authority”.
Vogue included Pope Leo XIV among the best-dressed figures of 2025, describing him as “breaking with the humble tastes of his predecessor, Pope Francis”.
Francis chose “a surprising simplicity, almost a gospel provocation”, Sorcinelli observed, while Benedict XVI was rooted in tradition. Leo XIV, by contrast, represents a balance between the two.
“Leo XIV manifests a desire to bring everything back to the centrality of Christ and to make this axis a sign of one path connecting the past and the future”, Sorcinelli said.
He described the change as a contrast between two ways of exercising leadership. “Francis with a gentleness that becomes revolution, Leo XIV with a strength that becomes openness”, he explained.
Clothing as a Language of Faith
For Sorcinelli, the papal dress code is not about fashion in the ordinary sense, but about expressing meaning through “silent theology”. Every detail is intended to support the pope’s office rather than distract from it.
Leo XIV favors a classical style while allowing discreet modern touches, including an Apple Watch and a Chicago White Sox baseball cap.
Sorcinelli’s work does not involve direct collaboration with the pope. Instead, it is handled through the Vatican’s Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, which ensures that each garment conforms to tradition and liturgical rules.
Under this system, the choice of colors, fabrics and symbols is guided by the church calendar and theology rather than personal preference.
The Small Details
Sorcinelli’s path into design began in childhood, when he helped his mother clean the local parish church. “Every act of care, every glance at the architecture, the organ or the altarpieces awakened in me the awareness that faith lives on in the small details”, he recalled.
Working with the highest levels of the Catholic Church has also drawn attention to Sorcinelli as an openly gay man in an institution associated with traditional values.
“I have never seen faith and sexuality as a struggle, but rather as a creative tension that fuels my creativity”, he said, adding that he had always felt accepted in the Church.
“The Church’s teachings offer guidance, not exclusion”, Sorcinelli added.
The text was originally published by DoKostola.sk, a Slovak Catholic website.