The Devil Wears Prada 2: Anne Hathaway’s Apartment Notes

Twenty years after Andy Sachs first survived the gauntlet of Runway magazine, the industry is doubling down on nostalgia. The release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t just a cinematic homecoming; it is a calculated play to capture the millennial zeitgeist by updating the “glow-up” narrative for a new era of luxury and professional maturity.

The Machinery of the “Glow-Up”

From an industry perspective, the set design is doing the heavy lifting for the character arcs. In the original film, Andy’s living situation—a modest studio shared with a chef boyfriend—represented her status as an outsider. In the sequel, her home has been transformed into a curated gallery of her career. According to a design publication, the space is filled with eclectic knickknacks, midcentury pieces, and textiles sourced from auctions and antique dealers to illustrate a “worldly” persona.

It is telling that Anne Hathaway provided direct input on the apartment’s aesthetic. This isn’t just about costume changes; it’s a PR strategy to align the character’s environment with a narrative of professional growth and intellectual curiosity. By blending “limited funds” vintage selections with upscale touches like custom bedding and Nikki Kehoe linens, the production creates a believable image of a successful journalist who hasn’t entirely lost her soul to the corporate machine.

The Architecture of Power

While Andy evolves, Miranda Priestly remains a monument to consistency. The decision to return to the original townhouse—complete with the same wallpaper, blue rug, and the Wayne Thiebaud cityscape painting “Downhill Cross Streets”—is a brilliant piece of visual storytelling. In the world of high fashion, trends are fleeting, but true power is timeless. By keeping Miranda’s environment frozen in its original regal state, the filmmakers reinforce her position as the industry’s unchanging apex predator.

“The design choices felt instinctive. The characters are so beloved,” noted set decorator Stephanie Bowen in an interview, highlighting the trust placed in the returning creative team to maintain the film’s high-fashion DNA.

This meticulous attention to continuity ensures that the sequel doesn’t feel like a cash grab, but rather a sophisticated expansion of a beloved brand. As the film hits theaters, the real question remains whether the narrative can match the aesthetic precision of its production design, or if this is simply a beautifully dressed victory lap for one of cinema’s most iconic duos.