The Devil Wears Prada 2 proves that sometimes even someone as intimidating as Miranda Priestly has to battle suits and bureaucracy determined to slash budgets and undervalue art. As it turns out, Meryl Streep found herself facing a surprisingly similar struggle while filming the highly anticipated sequel.
Also Read | Anne Hathaway reveals her favourite outfit in The Devil Wears Prada 2 did not make the final cut: Here’s a look
Molly Rogers, the costume designer behind the standout fashion in the sequel, revealed during a panel discussion at Fashionphile’s headquarters in New York City that Meryl Streep had to defend some of her sartorial choices amid behind-the-scenes clashes within the wardrobe department. According to Rogers, there was one particular outfit that became Streep’s personal favourite – and one she reportedly fought hard to keep in the film.
The piece Meryl Streep fought to keep in the film
According to Rogers, the controversial piece in question was a tasseled jacket by Dries Van Noten – an intricately crafted statement piece that required the perfect scene to truly shine. She revealed that the studio was hesitant about featuring the bold look, recalling, “The tassel jacket needed the right scene, it couldn’t just show up. The studio was afraid of that jacket – they tried to kill it.”
The costume designer recalled hearing the growing buzz around the outfit and going straight to Streep on the day of the shoot to inform her that studio representatives were considering scrapping the look altogether. However, true to her commanding on-screen persona, Meryl reportedly cut her off mid-sentence and confidently declared, “We’ll see about that.”
The rest, as they say, was fashion history! The striking ensemble ultimately stayed in the film and quickly went on to become a fan favourite.
More than just a couture piece
Rogers also revealed that the piece was far more than just a visual spectacle – it carried deep symbolic meaning within the film. The richly embellished jacket, adorned with intricate braided embroidery and cascading purple, green, pink, and blue tassels, was layered over a high-collared purple blouse to make a bold statement about the scene’s central theme: art versus commerce.
She explained that the outfit appears in a pivotal scene where Priestly is unexpectedly pulled into a meeting with business executives brought in by BJ Novak’s character, Jay Ravitz, who is determined to slash costs at Runway magazine. Surrounded by a table full of corporate suits, Miranda visually stands apart as a striking embodiment of creativity and artistic expression. Describing the symbolism behind the moment, Molly Rogers said, “Miranda is up against a lot of suits. It’s art vs. commerce.”
More fashion controversies in The Devil Wears Prada 2
Set two decades after the original, The Devil Wears Prada 2 follows Andy Sachs as an award-winning investigative journalist in New York City. When her entire newsroom is suddenly laid off, she is hired back in Runway magazine, bringing her back to the fold. This reunites her with her former boss Miranda Priestly after 20 years.
Unlike Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway was not quite as fortunate when it came to sartorial favourites. The 43-year-old actor revealed to People that her favourite look from the sequel ultimately never made it into the final cut. The ensemble featured an oversized Phoebe Philo T-shirt with a dramatic ankle-length train, styled with baggy Nili Lotan trousers and white Prada kitten heels. Hathaway shared that director David Frankel informed her about the scene being cut before she had even watched the film herself.