A woman sits behind a pristine desk, silver hair immaculate, glasses lowered enough to let her eyes do all the talking. Her look decoding and ‘fixing’, and you’re left wondering what went wrong. A pause and, ‘that’s all,’ said at a glacial pace. She has already moved on, flipping through high-fashion editorials and runway snaps. Authority in this room looks effortless and outside it is an ever-rushing world. This image cemented The Devil Wears Prada in pop culture. And this weekend, Meryl Streep (Miranda Priestly), Anne Hathaway (Andrea Sachs or Andy), Emily Blunt (Emily Charlton) and Stanley Tucci (Nigel) return to this world of fashion and power.
In Bengaluru’s fashion circles, the film has become an early reference point. Harsha Kripalani, a luxury fashion-lifestyle influencer, remembers Andy’s transformation as one of the film’s defining moments. “I was completely dazzled, especially during Andy’s (played by Hathaway) transformation. The styling, the layering, the endless stream of outfits felt like a visual fantasy and I remember dreaming of a walk-in closet filled with beautiful bags, shoes and statement pieces. Now, being part of the fashion and content world, my perspective has evolved. It’s not just about beautiful clothes, its about storytelling, consistency and the work that goes into creating that effortless image,” shares Kripalani, who relates most to Andy for finding her voice in a demanding world.
Call it ‘oh-so-rare’, but fashion designer Rini Phalgunan, finds herself on Team Emily in the film. She speaks of the subtle fatigue that comes with giving everything to an industry that doesn’t always reciprocate with the same intensity. “Not because I’m bitter or territorial, but because I understand the person who has given everything to a world and watches someone walk and take it lightly. There’s exhaustion that comes with loving an industry more than it loves you back. Andy gets the arc, but Emily gets the truth,” she says.
The sequel, helmed by David Frankel and featuring Lady Gaga in a cameo role, drew mostly favourable critical response. With audiences already flocking to theatres, Kaustav Dey, model and beauty connoisseur, says he is curious to see what lies ahead for Priestly if she ever steps away from her world of perks and power. Adding that the film continues to spark appreciation for the world it portrays. He shares, “What stayed with me was how fashion was represented as a multi-billion-billion dollar industry that generated revenue and employment for many. Especially since it is so easy to call fashion frivolous because it is glamorous.”
The film’s visual world also carries its own cultural weight. Phalgunan, further refers to the cerulean speech which showed how even the most normal-looking colour is the result of intentional fashion decisions at the highest level. “The film set a blueprint: polished, aspirational, severe and European, with ‘dressing for work’ in the creative field tied to looking like you belong in the runway.”
When it comes to styling, actor and lifestyle creator Sanjana Tiwari envisions Miranda’s wardrobe evolving into something more adaptable and contemporary, without losing its presence. “I’d make it a little more fluid and less rigid. Still powerful silhouettes, but with softer elements,” noting how today’s professional woman moves across multiple roles through the day. Dey imagines Priestly favouring vintage selects and craft from grassroots artisans. He also points to Sachs’ black Chanel suit with boots as a defining moment, still remembered as an expression of power dressing.
The promotional tour for The Devil Wears Prada 2 had travelled across key global cities, with the cast’s tailored silhouettes garnering as much attention as the film itself. Dey highlights a standout look from the tour – Blunt’s tiered ballgown with a metallic-structured bust from Schiaparelli Couture, while Tiwari says she loved Hathaway’s black Schiaparelli fit with striking gold petals during the early tours, while the background played, ‘Yes, Monday through Sunday, I can turn a dance floor into a runway…’, adding to the high-gloss energy of the showcases.