Infallible style: Pope Leo appears in Vanity Fair’s ranks of most fashionable
Pontiff, who has caught the eye in trainers and a baseball cap, praised for taking dress to ‘heavenly heights’
TL;DR
- Pope Leo XIV is featured on Vanity Fair's 2026 best-dressed list, marking the magazine's first such list in a decade.
- His unique style includes wearing Nike trainers, a discontinued Swiss-made quartz watch, and a White Sox baseball cap.
- Vanity Fair praised his style as taking papal fashion 'to heavenly heights' and noted his 'innate Americanness'.
- The Pope's fashion choices, including vintage accessories and simpler footwear than traditional papal slippers, have garnered a loyal following.
- His inclusion on the list is seen as aligning with the papacy's aim to position itself as a modern power, resonating with Gen Z.
- Pope Leo XIV's viral image in Nike trainers was compared to AI-generated images, but was confirmed as authentic and a key moment in his fashion discourse.
- He has also appeared on best-dressed lists from Vogue and the New York Times.
- His style choices are interpreted as symbolizing approachability, humility, and a readiness to act.