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Papal Primer
With World Youth Day celebrations under way, all eyes will be on the Pontiff. If you've ever wondered what his big pointy cap is called, or why he wears that white caped-gown a lot, Style's Papal primer answers many of these questions. Well, for starters, did you know that even the Pope and his clergical entourage need wardrobe designers? But it takes an especially trained eye to craft ecclesiastical vestments with exacting appropriateness and attention to detail. Toronto-based liturgical vestment designer David Cooper of Cooper Associates (cooper-associates@rogers.com) has spent the last 20 years making priests look good in their environment. "First, I go with the priest and look at colours in the church and the architecture. Then we experiment with different styles, cloths and colours. Our goal is to convey peace and harmony in the worship context through the use of vestments that are graceful or 'full of grace,' " says Cooper. For example, in churches with a lot of gold, he may recommend using more gold in the vestments and altar cloth to help draw the eye into the mass -- the main event. Lighting in the church is another factor to consider. "In a poorly lit church, the brilliant sheen of a garment made from dupioni silk will stand out more than a flat wool. The down side is that the priest has to put up with the wrinkles." He works closely with clients to design garments that reflect their personality. "On certain priests, a heavily embroidered cloth or large cowl neck may be too flamboyant."
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