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An Ode to Pope Benedict XVI’s Sassy Footwear

Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Benedict XVI. Photo: Corbis

The outgoing Pope Benedict XVI will go down in history for many reasons, of course, but many will remember him primarily for his shoes: a pair of bright red Prada loafers that he almost always wore beneath his robes. A bold, stylish touch to an otherwise predictable wardrobe, the Pope’s taste in footwear received much attention when he rose to his position in 2005. But according to an article in the Washington Post that same year, he was not a vain man, nor interested in designer fashions: “He wouldn’t know Gucci from Smoochi,” said Marjorie Weeke, a former official at the Vatican’s Social Communications office.  So, how did he come upon these Shmrada loafers? 

An Ode to Pope Benedict XVI’s Sassy Footwear