The Devil Wears Prada: the first film’s legacy ahead of the sequel’s release, 20 years later

In an oral history in Variety to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Devil Wears Prada, Emily Blunt – who plays the arch and dedicated first assistant Emily Charlton to inimitable editor-in-chief of fictional magazine Runway, Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep) – said she never expected her lines to be quoted back to her for the rest of her life. Ten years on and “I’m just one stomach flu away from my goal weight,” and “I’m sorry, do you have some prior commitment? Some hideous skirt convention you have to go to?” remain as quotable as ever.

The film, released 20 years ago in 2006, made Blunt a star. The story of an earnest and ambitious university graduate, Andy Sachs (played by Anne Hathaway), navigating her first job amid the idiosyncrasies, hierarchies and landmines of a fashion magazine has become a cult classic, a time capsule and a fable. Endlessly analysed, the film remains a lightning rod for discourse around toxic bosses, grind culture, losing your identity to work, bad boyfriends (it’s now universally agreed that Andy’s sad-sack boyfriend Nate was the worst), and a paean to a long-lost moment in media and fashion. Plus, there is no better movie makeover montage than Andy’s metamorphosis from “lumpy blue sweater” to chic Fashion Person. You bet she was wearing the Chanel boots. Patricia Field’s costuming for the film – including US$1 million worth of Chanel – remains unparalleled when it comes to fashion on screen.