Miranda Priestly Returns to the Runway
At Milan Fashion Week, Meryl Streep surprised spectators when she appeared in character as Miranda Priestly, her cold, no-nonsense role from the film The Devil Wears Prada, during Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring/Summer 2026 runway show ahead of the long-awaited The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Complete with a beige trench coat, sunglasses, and a leopard print belt with a purse to match, the three-time Oscar winner walked the runway as her iconic character before taking her seat in the front row, where she joined her co-star, Stanley Tucci, who is also set to reprise his role as Nigel, one of Miranda’s trusted confidants, in the sequel film, along with Bridgerton alum Simone Ashley, who is set to play an entirely new character in the latest movie.
A Hug with Anna Wintour
Backstage, Streep greeted and embraced Anna Wintour, who recently stepped down as editor-in-chief of Vogue US. Wintour, who is said to have inspired the character of Miranda Priestly, shared a hug with Streep, highlighting how closely the sequel aims to blur the lines between the fashion it will showcase and reality.
Marketing Beyond a Stunt
More than just a promotional stunt for the second part of The Devil Wears Prada series, 20th Century Studios has showcased a masterful approach to refreshing an older franchise by utilizing cultural events and icons to broaden its audience. Launched in 2006, the original The Devil Wears Prada, now, nearly two decades later, has successfully resonated with and become a fixture at one of the most influential fashion moments, Milan Fashion Week, transforming it into a promotional stage and runway for the film. This strategy has kept the franchise prominent for longtime fans and made it culturally significant for new viewers.
While Meryl Streep’s appearance as Miranda Priestly is a compelling moment for the film’s marketing, combining the cultural significance of the first movie, fans’ excitement for the sequel, and the setting at Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring/Summer 2026 runway, has effectively leveraged the already active coverage of Milan Fashion Week by the fashion press. Meryl could have appeared at any show or event, and it would have generated viral buzz, but adding Wintour, who inspired Miranda, transformed the moment into a real-life crossover. This shift turned a single photo into a multi-platform marketing campaign via social media.
Raising the Bar for Immersive Promotion
While other franchises have utilized actors dressed as their characters at events to generate buzz and anticipation for upcoming projects, this approach is fundamentally different. For instance, actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe sometimes dress up as their characters and engage briefly with fans at events like Comic Con, where attendees are often in costume and eager for updates. In contrast, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has raised the bar for such immersion by using a live runway show to not only craft an almost organic global campaign but also to craft a narrative about the film using the runway as a viral narrative set piece.
Looking Ahead
Scheduled for release in spring 2026, this Milan showcase highlights 20th Century Studios’ belief in their sequel’s cultural appeal and relevancy, despite the 20-year gap since the last film. By blending the prestige and glamour of Milan Fashion Week, Streep’s star power, Miranda Priestly’s cultural relevance, and Wintour’s apparent endorsement of the character, they have crafted a viral campaign expected to create an impact during awards season and beyond.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/braedonmontgomery/2025/09/27/meryl-streep-revives-miranda-priestly-for-the-devil-wears-prada-2/
