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The Devil Might Wear Prada, But the Pope Wears Nikes

Pope Leo’s millennial-coded footwear caused a stir.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedMay 11, 2026, 12:59 PM EDT

UpdatedMay 11, 2026, 1:05 PM EDT

Updated May 11, 2026, 1:05 PM EDTPublished May 11, 2026, 12:59 PM EDT

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A photo of Pope Leo XIV caused a stir thanks to his pre-papal footwear choice.

To celebrate one year since Pope Leo XIV, 70, was elected as the Head of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, the Vatican broadcast a documentary about his leadership journey. The film chronicled the ascension of the pope, previously known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, from his arrival in Rome, Italy, from the United States in the 1980s to his becoming the 267th Bishop of Rome.

After a trailer for the film Leone a Roma went live on YouTube last week, one image in particular caught the attention of U.S. audiences, with eagle-eyed viewers instantly recognizing a certain swoosh.

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An archival shot of the pope featured in the trailer began circulating on social media. The photo was taken before a two-day conclave appointed him to the position.

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It shows Pope Leo XIV walking on grass, smiling with his head down, his white robe shimmering in the sun. On his feet are a pair of low-platform Nike sneakers, easily recognizable thanks to their large black swoosh logos.

The image garnered a lot of attention online.

One of the many viral posts was a tweet by streetwear account @ModernNotoriety. In the comments, people quipped about the pope’s sporty All-American fashion choice.

“Just bless it,” one person joked, referencing Nike’s classic tagline “Just Do It.”

Another person wrote, “You can take the pope out of Chicago, but you cannot take the Chicago out of the pope.”

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Just Fresh Kicks reported that the pair in question was Nike’s Franchise Low Plus, a retro style that is hard to get your hands on. The model was released in the ’70s and ’80s, and only briefly relaunched in 2008, according to the outlet.

Pope Leo is the first American-born Bishop of Rome. As a Chicago native, he has shown support for his home state’s sports teams.

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On June 11, 2025, he wore a black cap with the Chicago White Sox logo during an outing at the Vatican.

The style choice garnered a lot of attention, as popes rarely make public appearances in outfits or accessories that are not part of their official papal attire.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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