Escaping Into Fashion: Why The Devil Wears Prada Still Resonates 20 Years Later

When The Devil Wears Prada hit cinemas in 2006, it gave us more than just a fashion fantasy; it gave us a sharp, funny look at ambition, power, and what we sacrifice to “make it.” Two decades later, the film’s glossy mix of humour, glamour, and work-culture critique feels just as relevant.

At the centre we have Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, the fresh graduate who stumbles into a world of couture she doesn’t care about, until she does. Her makeover montage is fun escapism, but it also asks something deeper: how much of ourselves do we change for success?

As we go through her journey we see the sacrifices she makes in terms of the prior views of multiple relationships in her life. Starting with her prior relationship to her boyfriend who upon second glance had a very fragile ego coming to terms with Andy's success, and her new found confidence. Which in hindsight turned out to be quite rewarding as Andy got to uncover the power dynamic that would have maybe come to light too late into her future.

Then came her friends, which at first I was quite glad to see such support come from people other than her boyfriend. But, multiple designer handbags in we realise true friendship cannot be bought. When Andy delved into the fashion world the idea of friendship was often construed and masked to network and for those who were malicious a stepping stone to get to where they want to be. 

Lastly, I would like to point out Andys relationship with her body, which we can’t help but deny, had us feel a little empathy for the standard she had to meet, to which her prior innocence was not aware of. The idolisation of being skinny was a consistent theme during movies released during this time but was heavily exaggerated being that she worked in a career that coined the skinny body type. For one to truly fit into the industry they had to follow the standard which was that the body was a part of the outfit and being skinny was almost an accessory. 

Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly is unforgettable, not just a “mean boss,” but a portrait of the lonely cost of authority. The iconic “That’s all” still stings, yet behind the icy exterior is a woman who understands that perfection is survival. She was the perfect depiction of the life Andy would have chosen should she have stuck to the way she navigated moving forward. 

Additionally, Emily Blunt’s biting one-liners and Stanley Tucci’s warmth, further adds to the films sparkle with their humour and humanity. These two characters played more than the supporting role, but did an amazing job encapsulating a multitude of experiences through their perspective of Miranda and the multifaceted and astringent world of fashion. 

Fashion itself becomes the film’s secret narrator, charting Andy’s journey from outsider to insider through clothes that are both breathtaking and intimidating. It’s wish-fulfilment wrapped in critique, giving us both Parisian runways and the sting of missed birthdays.

In an era obsessed with hustle culture and burnout, The Devil Wears Prada remains iconic because it balances fantasy with truth. We escape into the fashion, we laugh at the satire, but we keep watching because it still asks the question: what’s the real cost of success?