Gammarelli, nestled behind the Pantheon, is the oldest (1787) and most famous shop in a district…read moremaking Roman Catholic clerical clothing. Lorenzo and his cousins Massimiliano and Stefano Paolo are the sixth generation of Gammarellis to run the shop, which has been located on the Via Santa Chiara since 1874, when the cousins' great-grandfather Annibale--grandson of Giovanni Antonio, the first recorded papal Gammarelli tailor--opened its doors. The Gammarelli showroom is a deep rectangle, fitted with glass counters and shelves in a dark, glossy wood. Along one wall are small wooden drawers with labels like "red skull caps" and "braided cinctures." Above the drawers is a row of photographs: Popes dressed by Gammarelli, from Pius IX to Francis.
While you may think that they sell only to the clergy, they also sell socks to the public. . For years, Gammarelli have made beautiful silk socks, available in three colors - black for priests, purple for bishops, and red for cardinals.
The shop is small but inviting. The staff was most welcoming. It was so nice to see where the garments for the clergy are made.