Few movies are as iconic in the fashion world as The Devil Wears Prada. With quotable quotes that we’re still uttering within the GRAZIA Malaysia team till today (editor-in-chief Ian Loh’s favourite ones include, “Why is no one ready…”), we loved the first movie because it sold the idea of an aspiring writer making it big in the world of fashion journalism. It showed the glitz and glamour of the fashion world, with beautiful, stylish people at every turn of the corner in the high-rise office. Despite that, our lives living The Dream were anything but. We had no glamorous room filled to the brim with designer clothes and accessories ready for us to outfit ourselves with—the reality was more of us liaising with other magazine editors to coordinate loan timings. It is almost unheard of—but not zero—for an editor-in-chief of a print magazine in Malaysia to have their own office with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the Petronas Twin Towers.
But it wasn’t that bad either. We weren’t catching our editor’s coats thrown onto our desks, running across town to get the unreleased copy of a best-selling book series, or loaning clothes based on our bosses’ vague description of…skirts. So when they announced the production of The Devil Wears Prada 2, we had mixed feelings. On one hand, it felt great to relive our younger, nostalgic days. Hindsight is always 20/20, and the past is always rose-tinted. On the other hand, there is more impact in allowing an icon to stay iconic. Not all happy endings require an explanation. Not every movie needs a sequel.
Yet, the GRAZIA Malaysia team had to watch it when the movie was released. And, of course, we had to watch it on the lap of luxury at the Aurum Theatre in The Exchange TRX. Amidst cosying up to the plush Getha blanket and snacking on a slice of cake specially curated for The Devil Wears Prada 2 watchers, the team experienced our past and present altogether in the two hours we were in the theatre.
Here are some of our thoughts after the movie, as we were debriefing over burgers:
I go to the movies to escape, not to see my life reflected back at me. That said, if you can stomach the existential dread, this is a very accurate look at what the media industry is going through right now. — Ian Loh, Editor-in-Chief
I kind of wished Andy “grew up” instead of being the same, skittish underling she was all those years ago. — PohNee Chin, Managing Editor
Never thought we needed a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, but the 20-year wait was worth it. The character arcs felt authentic, reflecting how tough things are right now and how people have to rely on one another just to get by. — Sarah Chong, Associate Editor
The film definitely did its predecessor justice. It gave everyone in the classic the kinds of growth that are worth the wait to witness, so it’s not just a rehash of the same old movie, which sequels tend to suffer from. I’d definitely return to rewatch this. — Najihah Rashid, Senior Beauty & Digital Writer
Is this a good movie? Not really, not with the underutilised characters and plots that, at some point, feel forced, more like a “fan service”. But is it a relatable movie for the fashion media girls, reflecting the reality of the current fashion media landscape? Absolutely. — Lorraine Chai, Senior Fashion Writer
Back then, the film felt aspirational—a glamorous fantasy of the publishing world. Years later, after stepping into the media industry myself, the sequel resonates on a far more personal level. If the original was a dream, the second film feels like reality, capturing the complexities and shifting landscape of today’s media industry. — Joseph Cheng, Stylist
The collective opinion was that The Devil Wears Prada 2 painted our current publishing industry down to a T. Where the first movie glamourised the industry, the second stuck to the harsh truths: we are at the mercy of those with money. We felt a certain sense of vindication, yet at the same time, we can only sigh inwardly.
Realness of the movie aside, it was certainly made for fans of the first movie. It had an appropriate timeline and follow-up—20 years have passed, and our heroine Andy Sachs has made a name for herself as a reliable, award-winning journalist. We see her hired back at Runway magazine as a senior features editor as a PR move to “save” Runway magazine after a slight fiasco, but she still needed to earn her way into Miranda Priestly’s books. Without giving away the full plot, this second movie was paced like a 2000s rom-com with a progressive plotline, ups and downs (with a redemption arc), and ultimately, a happy ending. We all like happy endings, right?
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