Tall or short: Art of dressing a pontiff

Rome’s Gammarelli tailors traditionally prepare the vestments for the new pope — but say this time the Vatican will use cassocks from previous elections, in what may be a homage to the environmentally conscious Pope Francis.

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Once Francis is laid to rest, the Vatican will announce a conclave in which red-hatted cardinals from around the world will vote for a new pope.

The Gammarellis are currently racing to kit out those arriving for the conclave, but at this point they’d normally be preparing virgin papal cassocks too.

For generations, the tailors, whose shop was founded in 1798, have prepared three white cassocks — tall, medium or small — to fit new pontiffs, whatever their size.