Ahead of the upcoming sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, revisiting the film that reframed ideas of success, self-worth, and ambition.
South Africa (16 April 2026) – Sometimes what we want doesn’t arrive in the way we imagined. We take detours, find ourselves on unfamiliar roads, and somewhere along the way, we lose sight of where we were originally headed.
I came across The Devil Wears Prada at a strange but fitting time, just days after my own graduation. Maybe that’s why it stuck.
Andrea Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, is fresh out of university with dreams of becoming a journalist. Instead, she lands in a world that feels completely misaligned with who she is. Working for the intimidating fashion editor Miranda Priestly, portrayed by Meryl Streep.
At first, Andrea is completely out of her depth. She doesn’t understand the industry, the expectations, or the culture. But slowly, she adapts, evolves and becomes good at her job. In fact, she became so good that she was selected to accompany Miranda to Paris Fashion Week, one of the most prestigious events in the fashion industry.
And yet, in the process, she starts drifting.
The job consumes her. The version of her that moved to New York to write begins to fade. What started as a stepping stone now becomes a trap. It’s only when she recognises how disconnected (and honestly, how unkind) she has become to herself that she walks away and finds her way back to writing.
The Actual Lessons
- Things don’t always come the way we anticipate
The path rarely looks like the plan. And sometimes, the “wrong” opportunity is actually the one that teaches you the most.
- Dress the way you want to be addressed
The old cliche that has some truth to it. Whether we like it or not, appearance speaks before we do. The way you present yourself can open (or even close) doors.
- Reinvention is allowed
You’re not fixed. You’re allowed to evolve, change, and reshape parts of your identity that no longer serve you.
- Power doesn’t have to be loud
Miranda Priestly never raises her voice, but she commands every room she walks into. There’s something to be said about quiet authority. About knowing you don’t need to perform power for it to exist.
- Work isn’t worth sacrificing your health
Hustle culture tells us to push through everything. But the film exposes a harder truth: some companies or organisations are often structured to prioritise results over individual effort. Emily works tirelessly for years for her shot at Paris, only to be replaced the moment she can’t keep up.
These are a few of the lessons that stand out from The Devil Wears Prada. It’s not just for fans of the film, but for anyone navigating ambition, work, and identity.
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