- The Devil Wears Prada sequel releases on May 1, 2026, set 20 years later
- Fashion trends move from loud logos to subtle, sustainable aesthetics
- The sequel highlights evolving power dynamics through quiet luxury fashion
It's iconic that just when spring is peaking, we have The Devil Wears Prada sequel right around the corner. We can almost hear Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) judging and narrowing her eyes at us, "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking."
It's been 20 years. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is no longer a pretentious 'lurker'; she's a seasoned fashion and media mogul now. Miranda Priestly still wears the crown of Runway magazine's editor-in-chief, wading past the changing fashion landscape. All is mostly the same as far as the beloved characters we were introduced to 20 years ago. What isn't is the seamless shift in the fashion vocabulary of the film.
It's no longer about following trends; it's about being so. The Devil Wears Prada family has always been about letting fashion do the talking, and they do so once again, one outfit at a time.
Devil Wears Prada Poster (2006)
From Loud Fashion To Quiet Luxury
The 2006 Devil Wears Prada was a masterstroke on "maximum glamour." Loud logos, bold accessories, and eye-twitching colours ruled the racks, carefully sifted by the then costume designer Patricia Field.
Think of the double-breasted emerald green coat with leopard-print fur accents that was the face of the Vogue montage.
Andy Sachs in double-breasted emerald green coat with leopard-print fur accents
Andy's sleek off-shoulder floor-length black gown at the James Holt Charity Benefit was the epitome of 'runway' fashion, quite literally in that era.
Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt In Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Andy Sachs strutting her way into the fashion world in her black blazer and thigh-length Chanel boots is one for the books. And the layered necklaces she adorned with the interlocking 'C' monogram of Chanel.
Andy wearing her Chanel layered necklaces
Her green Fendi crochet bag and Kate Spade giraffe-print satchel caught your attention like no other. The clickety-clack sound of stilettos stomping on the marble floor got the fashion assistants at Runway their nickname of "clackers.", with Andy being the latest member.
Andy with her green Fendi crochet bag
Like we said, "Loud" was what the memo said.
2026 changed all that in its 'quiet' way. Logo-heavy coutures are gently replaced by less flashy-but more of everything else. Sustainability, subtlety, and soft-structure aesthetics take centre stage in the upcoming sequel, and the fashion girlies are hooting for the connection it establishes.
"By All Means, Miranda Priestly Still Hates Moving At A Glacial Pace"
Miranda Priestly as the fashion matriarch makes a power move from parading in logo-driven signature pieces in 2006 to a more soft-structure aesthetic in 2026.
Her love for oversized glasses and luxury footwear-such as burnt-orange pumps and red Valentino heels-still persists. But an understated sophistication takes over. It also highlights a thematic shift in her character evolution, where she grapples with the digital-first fashion world amid the decline of print magazines. Survival of the fittest.
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly opts for burnt orange pumps in Devil Wears Prada 2
Striking gold jackets and massive fur coats once flung at desks are now replaced with more structure and tailored fits, such as the navy Schiaparelli coat.
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in Devil Wears Prada (2006) in golden shimmering jackets and massive fur coats
Her monochrome grey skirt suit as she walks with Nigel (Stanley Tucci) screams quiet luxury. The Balenciaga red gown at a Met Gala-esque event left a lingering impression in the teaser.
Meryl Streep in the grey skirt suit by Italian label Sa Su Phi (Left and right) Balenciaga red gown (Middle)
Colour palettes now blossom with neutral tones and essential black. Bottomless totes bid us farewell, while top-handle bags and minimalist briefcases hit the runway.
Costume designer Molly Rogers paints a stark picture of what stays and what doesn't. Hint's taken.
Meryl Streep (L) and Anne Hathaway (R) in Devil Wears Prada 2 (2006)
Insider Outsider: Andy Sachs
Now running her own high-end bridal magazine, The Plunge, Andy (Anne Hathaway) is no longer the outsider. She commands her own wardrobe aesthetics now, and you see the change: it's replete with androgynous fashion pieces.
Plaid skirts, monochromatic whites, pinstripe suits, vests, and co-ords are her go-to now-a representation of her editorial-chic era.
The costume designer does a stellar job blending her functional main-character energy with high-end glamour as the force behind a bridal magazine.
Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada 2
Clacker heels and Chanel chains are replaced with single-string pearls and big glasses.
Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada 2006 (L) Devil Wears Prada 2 2026 (L)
Brands like Rabanne and Phoebe Philo are more her type, as she also rotates in Miranda's orbit with a Prada thrown in here and there.
A class evolution-Andy makes you take notes.
Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada 2
"Oh, Don't Be Absurd, Everyone Wants This, Everyone Wants To Be Us"
And one of the most iconic dialogues from The Devil Wears Prada (2006) once again stands true. With the powerful statement of moving from old-school luxury to quiet luxury in the sequel, the makers, the cast, and the decisions-most importantly-reiterate how power, status, and identity communicate themselves in a more sustainable fashion kingdom.
The unapologetic embossing of brands making an intentional move toward soft power is the kind of discourse that makes the loudest noise now, as the upcoming sequel has with just a few glimpses.
The wardrobe picks are still buzz-worthy, but it's just smeared with the awareness that's required with the choices made in this era. Fashion has always had a lexicon of its own. It's no longer about survival. In 2026, Miranda Priestly is about sustenance. Andy Sachs is about confidence. And at the crux of it all, it's about the evolving power dynamics in the form of fluid and adaptable clothes.
Never has "Less is More" rung truer until now. The Devil Wears Prada franchise was always about being a conversation starter. As the fictional fashion world comes alive once again, there's purpose to hold onto-a staccato of quietude masked as loud and clear for the stringent style critics. It all unveils further on May 1, 2026, on the big screen.
Until then, "That's all," is what Miranda Preistly would like to say.