Anne Hathaway Meryl Streep on the set of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in Hudson Yards on July 29 in New York City. (Photo by Aeon/GC Images)
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On Nov.12, 20th Century Studios released audience’s first glimpse at the highly anticipated “The Devil Wears Prada 2” film with a 51-second teaser trailer. Reprising their roles of Miranda Priestly and Andrea Sachs respectively, the scene captures a brief interaction between Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in an elevator at the iconized headquarters of Runway Magazine—the American Vogue-inspired setting of the first film’s most memorable scenes.
In addition to sparking new conversation around the fate of the film’s beloved characters such as Nigel and Emily, acted by Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt respectively, a possible new love interest played by Patrick Brammall and the introduction of fresh faces preformed by Simone Ashley, Ashley Graham, Pauline Chalamet, Amelia Gray Hamlin and Amelia Dimoldenberg, the teaser made its biggest impression as a sneak preview of the fashion to be seen on screen—especially after the cult-status the original film’s wardrobe and lead costume designer Patricia Field has earned among fans, with references to the movie’s looks made almost 20 years after the “The Devil Wears Prada” was first released in 2006.
Molly Rogers, a longtime collaborator and protégé of Fields while she worked on projects like “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Sex and the City,” is the lead costume designer on the new film.
Response From Fans
Covered by a slew of both major media outlets and independent content creators, the franchise’s newest film and recently released teaser trailer have earned a varied array of critiques, praise and indecision online.
Amy Odell, fashion and culture journalist, author of bestselling biographies “Anna” and “Gwyneth” and writer of the popular Substack newsletter “Back Row,” uploaded a short video onto her social media platforms questioning the choice of styling Streep’s character in cherry red Valentino Rockstud pumps—an incredibly sought-after silhouette from the early 2010s.
“Does anyone else feel like they can’t unsee these shoes in “The Devil Wears Prada 2’ teaser trailer,” Odell said. “…these shoes were kind of a choice. Looks like they’re going even bigger and bolder with the costumes for this movie.”
This video, and others like it, exemplify a popular conversation among viewers post-teaser release—with many wondering about the meaning behind the standout footwear. Some have assumed the shoe choice—while a small detail—was used to symbolize that Priestly has fallen behind on what is “in Vogue” and will need to find a successor to fill her shoes—pardon the pun. Others theorize this costume choice simply highlights the stubborn nature staple to Priestly’s characterization in the first film—unwavering from a style she likes even if it’s not what is currently trending.
However, even among die-hard film fans and at-home costume critiques, there are a select few who assume the styling of Priestly’s shoes may be out of date because of the stylist’s hesitancy to work in tandem with the rapid pace of modern fashion trends—a common criticism of Roger’s work on the earlier seasons of “And Just Like That.”
Anne Hathaway on the set of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” on August 07 in New York City. (Photo by Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
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Positive Feedback
Despite the mixed reviews surrounding the film’s choice to include such a devise pair of footwear in the teaser’s opening shot, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” has received mainly positive responses to the outfits worn by Hathaway’s character—dressing in a manner that’s noticeably more refined that her infamous “lumpy blue sweater,” but slightly less glamorous than her head-to-toe looks styled straight out of the Runway sample closet in the middle of the first film. Her modern wardrobe is closer to the peek at Sachs’ style audiences see at the end of “The Devil Wears Prada,” with a bit of insight from her time at the magazine and presumably a decade of personal growth elevating her looks from fresh college grad to confident New York journalist just in time for the second film.
Referencing behind-the-scene imagery released during the film’s initial shoot last Summer, Hathaway’s character seems to be styled mostly in sharp, angular blouses, cropped wide-leg pants, colorful maxi dresses and an array of unique bag and shoe combinations that have both fans of archival fashion and new designers excited for the way Sachs’ reinvigorated style is represented on-screen.
As for the rest of the film’s fashion, audiences are going to have to wait patiently for a full-length trailer release—hopefully revealing just as much about the clothing as the movie’s central plot.
