Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88, at the Casa Santa Marta, due to a stroke and heart failure. His passing marks the end of an era in the Vatican—but his legacy goes far beyond religion: he leaves an indelible mark on the symbolic language of dress.

As the first Latin American pontiff, born in Argentina, Francis chose to walk a different path. From the very start of his papacy in 2013, he embraced an austere and deeply meaningful aesthetic. His wardrobe—white, unembellished, and modest—was a clear message: humility, closeness, and a break from the traditional visual codes of ecclesiastical power.

The contrast with his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, was as visual as it was ideological. Benedict revived the baroque splendor of papal dress, including the traditional camauro cap and the iconic red shoes handcrafted by Italian artisan Adriano Stefanelli—symbols of the blood of martyrs and Christ’s sacrifice. Elegant, symbolic, theatrical. Rumor even had it he wore Prada.

Francis, on the other hand, stayed true to a pair of plain black shoes, made by his longtime shoemaker in Buenos Aires—the very same pair he wore upon arriving at the Vatican. His choice was no accident: it spoke of a Church closer to those who walk humbly, simpler, more human. He was even believed to have written a poem that read: “We need saints without cassocks or veils, saints who wear jeans and sneakers.”

He wore a plain white cassock, a simple zucchetto, and a modest Casio MQ-24 wristwatch that retails for under $25. He moved around in a humble Ford Focus, opting to live in the Vatican’s guesthouse instead of the luxurious papal apartments. Every aspect of his style was aligned with his worldview—a “noble simplicity,” as described by Italian designer Filippo Sorcinelli, who created liturgical garments for him.

Beyond religion, Francis became a symbol of a quiet yet powerful aesthetic: quiet luxury, minimalism with meaning. In an era saturated with visual excess, he communicated through restraint.

His final public appearance—dressed in white cassock, seated in a wheelchair, praying in St. Peter’s Basilica like any other pilgrim—may have been his most profound style statement. He didn’t need vestments to wield influence; his message was in his example.

In a time when fashion is once again turning to minimalism as a radical act, Pope Francis’s style takes on an unexpected relevance. Because sometimes, true elegance isn’t about what you wear—but why you wear it.

Photo Credit: AFP