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The Devil Wears Prada defined a generation of creatives and showcased fashion in film, magazines, and culture. After 20 years, the highly anticipated sequel is bringing back the same excitement. Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway return as Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada 2, set to be released May 1, 2026. The iconic movie set in New York City brought together luxury fashion, career struggles, and women in leadership roles in ways never before seen. It influenced the conversation about the fashion industry and how high-end designers shape culture.
In the original, aspiring journalist Andrea Sachs takes up a job as Miranda Priestly’s assistant. While she starts completely unaware of the fashion industry, her new role leads her to sacrifice her personal life, style, and relationships, eventually leading her to quit. Miranda, the powerful leader of Runway Magazine, challenged stereotypes of women in the workforce, especially the fashion industry, and opened up opportunities for different types of high-status bosses in film. The movie centered on Andy's ambition and drive for success, despite the many obstacles she faced in the industry she knew nothing about. Her career and work-life balance was the focus, helping to normalize stories about women in competitive industries.
Along with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, Costume Designer Molly Rogers is returning to her role. Rogers worked with Patricia Fields in the first movie, which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.
The wardrobe in the original movie feels timeless, and they wanted to continue evoking that feeling, with some twists and turns for how the characters have been living and working since. Andy, for example, has been working as a travel journalist for 15 years and has grown into her style and confidence. Miranda has held her position and has adapted her style with time. Custom pieces from brands like Balenciaga, Dior, Schiaparelli, and Armani were also arranged.
A new look for hair and makeup was considered in the making of this sequel. Styled, flashy, and model-esque was the design for the original film, but with the sequel, more casual, sleek, and clean is the way to go. As time passes for both characters and actors, embracing their signs of age and lines was important rather than trying to reshape them into the people they were years ago.
The tweaks to the creative direction of the sequel were not the only things that had changed from 2006 to 2026. The premise of The Devil Wears Prada 2 is that Runway Magazine struggles to compete and remain relevant in an ever-expanding digital landscape. The rise of social media and digital content has led to a decline in physical media, like magazines.
This conversation is extremely relevant today, as younger generations are introduced to technology at earlier ages. Books, comics, magazines, CDs, DVDs, and more are losing popularity as everything is digitalized. Examples include online shopping, audiobooks, streaming platforms, and even your phone's camera roll. We have fewer physical things to remind us of the past, and it's becoming harder for them to compete with the ease of technology.
Magazines can be a form of time capsule, capturing culture in a particular moment. In The Devil Wears Prada, Runway Magazine represents the pinnacle of fashion throughout each year and season. Culture is ever-changing, but through each edition of a magazine, you get to see what people are passionate about, what is popular, what inspires them, and, in turn, inspires you. Magazines are a physical copy of a piece of culture, something that you can have for years to come to show others. They help you remember the trends, music, fashion, and icons that were important at the time.
With The Devil Wears Prada 2 showing the Runway's struggle to stay relevant, it reflects the real shift across media industries today. Technology is efficient and accessible, but physical magazines hold a unique cultural value. They document tangible moments in time, defining eras. As the media landscape evolves, magazines are important reminders that culture should not only be consumed, but kept with us.
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