From the Vatican to Haute Couture: Pope Leo XIV Lands on Vanity Fair’s Best-Dressed List

Pope Leo XIV has unexpectedly joined the ranks of the world’s biggest fashion icons after Vanity Fair included the pontiff in its annual list of the best-dressed people. His signature blend of traditional papal finery with baseball caps and Nike sneakers impressed the magazine’s editors so much that Leo XIV now shares the list with stars including Nicole Kidman, Rihanna and Colman Domingo.

Vanity Fair was particularly taken with the contrast between the pontiff’s majestic Italian vestments and distinctly American sneakers. As The New York Post style correspondent José Criales-Unzueta explained, everyone has a personal style, and the list is designed to recognize those whose approach to dressing the editors find especially expressive, inspiring or distinctive.

“In the case of Pope Leo, we’re drawn to his innate American aesthetic — the way he pairs a baseball cap or Nikes with his vestments. It speaks to the great tradition of American sportswear,” the fashion expert said.

This is not the first time Pope Leo has caught the attention of the fashion industry. In 2025, Vogue also included him on its best-dressed list, placing the pontiff alongside figures such as The Bear star Ayo Edebiri.

Interest in papal fashion, however, dates back long before the current pontificate. For more than 2,000 years, the clothing worn by the head of the Catholic Church has been the subject of intense fascination. According to tradition, even the Apostle Peter was depicted wearing vivid sky-blue robes.

Today, papal attire continues to inspire admiration — and occasionally raises questions about how lavish vestments fit with the Christian ideals of humility and voluntary poverty. The pontiff regularly appears in exquisite garments made to measure from expensive Italian fabrics.

Papal style has become so firmly embedded in pop culture that it even sparked a minor scandal in the world of artificial intelligence in 2023. A photograph of then-Pope Francis wearing a white Balenciaga puffer jacket went viral online. It was later revealed to be a deepfake. Still, the image demonstrated that a pope can become the subject of fashion headlines just as easily as rappers and athletes.

It is hardly surprising, then, that papal style has inspired celebrities as well. At the 2018 Met Gala, Rihanna appeared in an outfit reminiscent of lavish papal vestments, complete with a jeweled mitre and an elaborate necklace.

But anyone hoping to recreate Pope Leo XIV’s look from head to toe will need to be prepared to spend serious money.

One of the most distinctive details of his wardrobe is a pair of vintage Nike Low Rise Plus sneakers from the 1980s. Today, the model is so rare that it can fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars on resale platforms such as Grailed.