In 2006, Sidekicks and low-rise flared jeans reigned supreme. Now, twenty years later, Sidekicks have been replaced by iPhones, and flared jeans aren’t quite as low-rise as they were before. The scope and pace of fashion is different from when The Devil Wears Prada originally hit theaters, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 makes sure you know it.
Much like Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) said at the end of the first film, this sequel had some pretty big shoes to fill. The Devil Wears Prada has remained in the zeitgeist not just for its fashionable outfits and montages, but because of what it had to say about the state of the industry and journalism as a whole. The Devil Wears Prada 2 reminds you of that, and also just how much things have changed.
Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) is dealing with a bit of a PR crisis regarding a scathing article released online. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), now a successful journalist, is dealing with getting unceremoniously fired (via text!) alongside her team at an awards dinner. Fate brings them together, and Andy begins work as a Features Editor at Runway alongside Miranda once again.
Runway sashays into the digital world
The question is, how does Runway continue to make it in the 2026 world? The answer is the same as most magazines: They’ve gone digital. The focus is on the online presence, rather than the print, which Nigel (Stanley Tucci) bemoans at one point in the film. A lot has changed since Andy last stepped into these hallowed halls. However, she’s a pro at not letting that deter her.
The film is glittery and opulent just like the storefronts on Fifth Avenue. Every scene teems with well-dressed men and women, providing the same endless fashion inspo as the original. It does, of course, mask the more malicious nature of the industry, and that begins with Miranda’s first assistant and former acolyte, Emily.
Emily Charlton trades in her Jimmy Choos for Dior
Now working at Dior, Emily still does business with Runway, but in a different capacity. As she and Andy reconnect and fill in the blanks of the last few decades, it becomes clear that Emily is still just as cutthroat and ambitious as she’s always been. But in an industry like this, you have to be.
For Andy, what she is contributing to the magazine isn’t making the clicks it needs to. It’s reminiscent of the world we currently operate in, where clickbait and puff pieces are more popular than well-written, hard-hitting journalism. Desperate to prove her worth (and not get fired), Andy tells Miranda that she is going to get the interview no one else has with the elusive former wife of tech billionaire Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux), Sasha (Lucy Liu).
It turns out, though, that Benji and Emily are also now dating. Having someone as wealthy and powerful as Benji at her side arms Emily with an over-inflated sense of confidence. But don’t mistake that for villainy: Just as ambitious women are punished for daring to dream bigger, categorizing them as villains is disingenuous to that ambition. Because, ultimately, these women just want what is best for themselves. If men can do it why can’t we?
However, that does not mean they are exempt from criticism, as both films have shown us. Like its predecessor, The Devil Wears Prada 2 also deals with self-reflection. There is a vulnerable underbelly in its chicness, with a spotlight aimed right on the things that hurt most.
It’s nostalgia, but nostalgia done right
David Frankel and Aline Brosh McKenna returned to direct and pen the sequel, respectively, and their care is evident in every frame and every line. The Devil Wears Prada 2 contains the same whimsical early-2000s vibe as its predecessor, but much like how trends change slightly as they come back, it’s a little more mature, reflecting on the growth these characters have experienced.
There are also plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, including Miranda being told by her new assistant, Amari (Simone Ashley), that she cannot say the things she used to due to HR complaints. Looking back, the early 2000s really were a lawless time.
The relationship between Nigel and Andy remains as integral to this film as the first. He has always been the one to believe in her, and the passage of time has not changed that. Tracie Tomas also returns as Lily, Andy’s best friend. (Thankfully Nate [Adrian Grenier] is still out of the picture.)
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a love letter to the first film, as well as to fans. There are just enough callbacks and cameos to satiate you without over-saturating the story. The points it makes are stiletto-sharp. It has the confidence of somebody who knows who they are now–much like Andy.
(Featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
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