Parties, lights, fame, power and spotlight have long defined the fashion world. Whether it’s being on the cover of a magazine, walking the runway or designing a new, bold collection, the industry is perceived as glamorous. However, behind the glitz and glamour is manipulation and deceit. At least, that’s what the original “The Devil Wears Prada” movie highlighted. Fans were eager to see if the long-awaited sequel continued that theme or developed into something more timely.
On May 1, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” debuted, continuing the iconic story that started in 2006. The new movie saw the return of most original characters and continued their story rather than developing a new one with different characters. This move earned a positive reception as actors like Anne Hathaway, Maryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are part of what made the movie so iconic in the first place.
Many people wondered if the new movie would live up to the original.
“It’s been like 20 years, so I’m kind of intrigued to see what it’ll be because of how it ends,” Sophia Zahner (12) said.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” got traction from the moment it was first announced. The release of this sequel was a little out of the blue considering how long it’s been since the original was released.
Viewers were curious to see how the writers would continue the story twenty years later. Many fans also wondered if it would just be a copy of the original storyline with aged-up characters. This proved not to be the case.
“The new movie, by contrast, is set in a media world that’s melting down like the polar ice caps, and so the movie, by design, doesn’t sparkle with the same fizz,” Owen Gleiberman, Variety said.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” seems to highlight less of the glamorous and bold side of the fashion industry, and more so focus on saving it. It is no surprise that there have been many changes in our society since 2006, especially with the rise of the internet and social media. The world that was once captivated by what would be the cover of the next big magazine simply scrolls past it now.
“To the world at large, magazines barely matter anymore, and imperious editors who dictate what we want to wear, and why, matter even less,” Stephanie Zacharek of Time Magazine said.
In the early 2000, fashion magazines were the source of comparison, inspiration and influence for the public. However, social media platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, Pinterest and others are becoming the central influences. Influencer culture has forever changed trends and fashion. Rather than a high fashion magazine telling people what’s in style, they go off their feed on Instagram and other social media apps.
“Many have labeled the movie “dire” and pessimistic,” because it touches such a raw nerve among media professionals who are anxious about their own livelihoods,” Gleiberman of Variety said.
The new movie demonstrates the fading out of magazine culture, along with the relevance of many other media professions like journalism. The movie takes on more complex themes as it shows professionals fighting to keep their relevancy and the challenges they have to undertake. Unfortunately, this means the wit that was popular in the original movie got pushed to the side.
“I think that there’s a lot of really funny lines that they lead up to, but you don’t expect that it’s actually going to be sometimes,” Zahner (12) said. “The Devil Wears Prada” delivered many classic one-liners that are still referenced today.
“Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking,” Miranda Priestly said in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
Due to the sequels focus on the dying out of media based professions, there is less humor evident and higher tensions. While the original poked fun at the seemingly ridiculous norms in the fashion world, the new movie attempts to remind viewers of them.
“”The Devil Wears Prada 2” is both more affectionate toward fashion and more fiercely protective of what, at its best, it can be,” Zacharek of Time Magazine said.
The movie strives to showcase the power fashion can hold and tries to reaffirm its importance in society. One specific change is seen in Andy who once made fun of bold fashion statements and thought there was no need for expensive designer pieces. In the second movie, she is excited when Nigel brings her new clothes from “Runway’s” closet and even chooses her own statement piece of wear.
“We may as well face reality: the worlds of fashion and magazines have changed, and wishing for a vanished past won’t bring it back,” Zacharek of Time Magazine said.
The fashion world will most likely never return to how it once was before the rise of social media, however, we can try to preserve its influence. The entire concept of fashion is timeless, regardless of how it or its influence changes over time. The sequel was a well done reminder of its power and impact on culture and society.
