At last the fantasy is real. Anne Hathaway is back on the streets of Manhattan as Andy Sachs. Twenty years after showing us how a cerulean blue sweater could split the world into two camps, those who understood fashion and those who thought they were above it, Andy returns with a wardrobe that is both armor and a thesis on modern female power. The fashion in The Devil Wears Prada 2, now filming in New York with director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna, is not just about style. It is emotional architecture, corporate satire, and pure visual entertainment.
If the first film dressed its characters as if every look came straight from the Vogue offices in Anna Wintour’s golden era, this sequel explores the complexities of a post-print, post-glam, post-Miranda world.
Is Andy still the same?
Back in 2006, we watched Hathaway transform under the guidance or tyranny of Miranda Priestly, with her wardrobe serving as a metaphor for her evolution, from tweed jackets to Chanel boots. The first photos from the new shoot show her in outfits that could easily be titled “disruptive millennial CEO with Pulitzer ambitions.” The vibe feels like an editor from The Cut doing image consulting for an ecofriendly brand based in Brooklyn.
One standout image shows Hathaway in a Jean Paul Gaultier Femme look, a tailored vest and perfectly matched pinstripe trousers. It channels classic Wall Street power but reimagined with a queer and polished twist, as if Andy now runs a socially conscious talent agency with an office in Tribeca.
To complete the look: the iconic black leather vintage Saddle Pouch from Coach, a piece that could be from 2004 or yesterday, and that is exactly the point; an emerald-cut diamond pendant by Jemma Wynne; and an aura that says, I know exactly what I am doing here. In other words, Andy is no longer seeking aesthetic approval.
In another outfit, Hathaway wears a denim jumpsuit by Re/Done, Velcro sandals from Chanel (yes, the ones The Row wishes it had invented), Céline sunglasses, and the Panthea bag by Valentino Garavani. The look, spotted in Chelsea, could be the perfect uniform for a freelance editor writing viral think pieces from marble-topped coffee shops and charging her iPad with the devotion of a modern-day priest.
Later that same day in downtown, the actress was seen wearing a Toteme tank top, a maxi denim skirt by Agolde, and jewelry that was subtle yet meaningful. She wore the same Jemma Wynne pendant, this time paired with the Squash Blossom bead choker by Marlo Laz.
Miranda Priestly in the age of SEO
Meryl Streep is back as Miranda Priestly, wrapped in what some call power minimalism and others simply pragmatic elegance. She no longer needs fur coats or silk scarves. One glance and a sharply tailored trench are more than enough. Miranda continues to be the most feared figure in fashion journalism, but her adversaries have shifted from Prada interns to traffic-hungry algorithms.
What is fascinating is how her presence remains the gravitational force of the story. You can update the context, the wardrobe, and even the business model. But Miranda is Miranda. Untouchable. Immortal. Unmatched. Like Queen Elizabeth II, but in Givenchy. On set, Streep was photographed wearing the Manuela skirt by Gabriela Hearst and the Slim Sloan Diamond ring by Briony Raymond. Less Cruella, more Lauren Bacall with an MBA from Columbia.
The wardrobe: more satire than trend
The Devil Wears Prada was always more satire than runway. The wardrobe served as a tool for character development, not a seasonal lookbook. And this sequel seems to follow that same philosophy. Hathaway’s outfit is not meant to make us swoon but to make us think.
What does that suit say about Andy? Where does she work? What does she want? Has she made peace with fashion, or does she simply tolerate it as a necessary evil?
The future of fashion (and film) wears Celine sunglasses
With a cast that now includes Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, Pauline Chalamet, and Kenneth Branagh—playing none other than Miranda’s husband—the film is shaping up to be an intergenerational showcase of power, style, and workplace conflict.
While the plot details remain mostly under wraps, we do know that Miranda is in urgent need of ad money from Emily Charlton, now a high-powered luxury executive. But the real battle will unfold not just in offices, but in closets. Although The Devil Wears Prada 2 will be released in theaters on May 1, 2026, the discussion has already begun.
Filming is taking place across iconic Manhattan locations, from Chelsea to Midtown, making it a visual tribute to the New York we saw in the first film. The film evokes the scent of Starbucks coffee and Chanel No. 5. This is the New York where yellow taxis outnumber electric scooters.
A guaranteed hit?
There’s no doubt that the return of The Devil Wears Prada is a multigenerational pop phenomenon. Anne Hathaway once said she doubted a sequel was even possible, because the world had changed too much. And she was right. But that’s exactly what makes it necessary now.
If we've discovered anything, it's that the devil no longer solely dresses in Prada. She also has a newsletter, a TikTok channel, and an ad budget.