The Devil Wears Prada 2 held its London premiere this week at the National Gallery, followed by a lavish party. Donatella Versace hosted a VIP area beneath Paul Delaroche's painting The Execution of Lady Jane Grey. Meryl Streep, reprising her role as Miranda Priestly, wore a red satin Prada coat and black sunglasses, a nod to Anna Wintour. Glossy magazine editors from Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands attended, enjoying fried chicken with caviar and mac and cheese under silver cloches.
Satire of Fashion's Demise
The film's release marks a glamorous moment for an industry it ruthlessly satirizes. Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna noted the irony: "It has blown our minds how much we have been embraced by businesses we poked fun at." The sequel, set 20 years after the original, follows Priestly's struggle to steer Runway magazine through print's decline. Staffers who attended described the plot as "close to the bone."
Industry Shift
The sequel highlights how luxury brands have turned the tables on once-dominant magazine editors. In the original film, designers refused to lend clothes for fear of offending Vogue. Now, the sequel is filled with designer pieces and cameos from Versace and others. The move to digital and readers abandoning newsstands have humbled fashion power brokers, with editorial increasingly reliant on commercial partnerships. Gatekeeping has evaporated as shoppers no longer obediently follow catwalk trends.
Director David Frankel said: "The media business is frightening today. There's a terrible contraction. We see the tsunami of AI coming. The movie addresses that. The first film was a coming-of-age story; this one is about values and morals." Emily Blunt's character now works for a luxury brand, wielding power over her old boss. Editors who once dictated taste must now play nice with commercial partners.
Anna Wintour's Enduring Influence
The publicity shows how Anna Wintour has emerged unscathed from two decades of change. After stepping down as American Vogue editor, she appears on the magazine's cover with Streep, photographed by Annie Leibovitz and styled by Grace Coddington. The cover challenges age-old sexism, highlighting older women's enduring power. Brosh McKenna noted: "Fashion creates iconic women with staying power. It's a business where people work till they drop."
Fash-flation: Price Increases Since 2006
The cost of designer items has soared. A Chanel jacket, worn by Anne Hathaway's character, cost about $4,800 in 2006; now it is £6,430, an 80% increase. A Fendi Baguette bag, priced at $1,500 in 2006, now costs £2,750, a 147% rise. Jimmy Choo shoes, originally at least $385, are now £625, up 122%. An Hermès scarf, around $320 in 2006, now costs £520, a 119% increase.
