No fancy threads, jailed mafiosos told

Mafia mobsters in Italy have been banned from wearing designer clothing in prison.

Rita Barbera, the new governor of Ucciardone jail in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is putting a stop to criminals wearing the likes of Gucci, Armani and Louis Vuitton clothing while inside as the prison has earned a reputation for having lax conditions.

She said: "In the collective memory, this prison has been linked to images of godfathers wearing silk clothes, and this is something we need to snuff out.

"We need to eliminate disparities between prisoners, which has been expressed through exhibitions of status, power and economic supremacy."

Prisoners in Italy are not required to wear uniforms.