MILAN (AP) — Milan’s fashion scene takes center stage as “The Devil Wears Prada 2” makes its Italian debut Thursday, with the luxury brand featured prominently in the title while the entire fashion industry and Milan itself share the spotlight.
While the movie references Prada without focusing specifically on the legendary fashion house that has become a symbol of Milan, both Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour honor the connection by wearing Prada designs on a recent Vogue cover that celebrates the film about a ruthless fashion magazine editor.
However, when filming took place in Milan last September during the city’s fashion week, it was a Dolce & Gabbana runway presentation, rather than a Prada show, that served as the setting for scenes with Streep and Stanley Tucci.
“When you think of Prada, when you think of the Prada brand, you also think of Milan. This is obviously good for the fashion system,” said Tommaso Sacchi, Milan’s counselor for culture. “It’s a film that is good for the city.”
The excitement has translated into a special pop-up installation at Milan’s premier department store, drawing both movie fans and fashion enthusiasts who are eager to snap photos at a recreation of fictional editor Miranda Priestly’s office and pose with a mock-up cover of the imaginary Runway magazine.
Distinguished guests attending Thursday’s Italian premiere, which precedes next week’s worldwide launch, will enjoy cocktails in the exhibition space.
Rinascente CEO Mariella Elia noted that the overwhelming response to the installation — marked by enormous sculptures of the famous red high heels positioned outside the store — demonstrates people’s “desire for lightness.”
“It’s not just about buying, it’s really about reviving what fashion represents … a desire to have a stylish flair once again, a desire for joy, too — perhaps in contrast with the current economic and international moment that humanity is experiencing,” Elia said.
During a recent visit, the exhibition space buzzed with visitors examining exclusive T-shirts featuring memorable quotes from the original film, including “Is there some reason my coffee isn’t here?”
Professor Valentina Cattivelli explained she wasn’t attempting to emulate Priestly’s persona while posing at the replica desk, which featured an inbox containing additional lines from the first movie, including Priestly’s curt “That’s all.”
“No, I’m not so cruel in my daily life, but I appreciate her professional style and also her fashion and the taste for fashion. But not her sarcasm or cruelty, no,” Cattivelli said.
The Prada empire began just steps away in the elegant Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery, established by Miuccia Prada’s grandfather. Today, the historic shopping corridor features two Prada flagship locations.
Under Miuccia Prada’s leadership, the company evolved into a fashion powerhouse, transforming what critics called “ugly chic” into coveted designs and accessories that brought intellectual depth to runway fashion — a central theme in the original film, which revealed the substance beneath fashion industry superficiality.
“There is a close relationship between the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ franchise and Prada, because by evoking Prada from the very title, it evokes a fashion that makes you dream, a fashion that makes you feel elegant, a fashion that makes you feel good, a fashion that gives you an allure,” said Annarita Briganti, a fashion journalist who wrote a book about Prada for Rizzoli’s Made in Italy editions.
