The Devil Wears Prada (novel)

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The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada cover.jpg
Author Lauren Weisberger
Cover artist
  • Evan Gaffney (design)
  • Nick Dewar (illustration)
CountryUS, UK, France
LanguageEnglish
Genre Chick lit
PublishedFebruary 6, 2003 (Broadway Books)
Media typePrint (Hardback and Paperback)
Pages360
ISBN 0-7679-1476-7
OCLC 55053886

The Devil Wears Prada is a 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger about a young woman who is hired as a personal assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor, a job that becomes nightmarish as she struggles to keep up with her boss's grueling schedule and demeaning demands. It spent six months on the New York Times bestseller list and became the basis for the 2006 film of the same name, starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt. The novel is considered by many to be an example of the "chick lit" genre. [1] [2]

Contents

Upon its publication The Devil Wears Prada attracted attention because of its author's background. Before writing the novel, Weisberger had worked as a personal assistant for American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, much like the novel's protagonist works for a powerful fashion magazine editor, who also happens to be British like Wintour. Reviewers considered the book a roman à clef , offering insider perspectives on Wintour and other Vogue staff. [3] [4]

A sequel, Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, was published in 2013, while a third novel, When Life Gives You Lululemons, was published in 2018. [5] [6]

Plot summary

Andrea Sachs, a recent graduate of Brown University with a degree in English, moves to New York City with her best friend, Lily, a graduate student at Columbia. Andrea hopes to find a career in publishing and blankets the city with her résumé. She believes she will be closer to her dream of working for The New Yorker if she can get a job in the magazine industry. She gets a surprise interview at the Elias-Clark Group and is hired as junior assistant for Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Runway. Although she knows little of the fashion world, everyone tells her that "a million girls would die for [her] job". If she manages to work for Miranda for a year, people tell her, she can have her choice of jobs within the magazine industry.

At a celebrity party, Andrea meets Christian Collinsworth, a charismatic Yale graduate who is considered one of the hot, new up-and-coming writers of their generation. They are attracted to each other, which complicates her relationship with her boyfriend, Alex.

Andrea's relationships become entangled because of her new job. Lily increasingly turns to alcohol and picks up dubious men to relieve the pressure of graduate school. Alex, struggling with his own demanding job as an inner-city schoolteacher, grows frustrated with Andrea's long hours and constant stress. Andrea's relationship with her family also suffers. Matters finally come to a head when her co-worker, Emily, gets mononucleosis and Andrea must travel to Paris with Miranda in her stead. In Paris, she has a surprise encounter with Christian. Later that night, Miranda finally lets down her guard and asks Andrea what she has learned, and where she wants to work afterwards. She promises to place phone calls to people she knows at the New Yorker on Andrea's behalf once her year is up and suggests she take on some small writing assignments at Runway.

Back at the hotel, Andrea gets urgent calls from Alex and her parents asking her to call them. She does and learns that Lily is comatose after driving drunk and wrecking a car. Though her family and Alex pressure her to return home, she tells Miranda she will honor her commitment to Runway. Miranda is pleased, and says her future in magazine publishing is bright, but phones with another impossible demand at Christian Dior's Paris fashion show. Andrea decides that her family and friends are more important than her job, and realizes to her horror that she is becoming more and more like Miranda. She refuses to comply with Miranda's latest outrageous request, and when Miranda scolds her publicly, Andrea replies, "Fuck you, Miranda. Fuck you." She is fired on the spot, and returns home to reconnect with friends and family. Her romantic relationship with Alex is beyond repair, but they remain friends. Lily recovers and is lucky to receive only community service for her DUI charge.

In the last chapter, Andrea learns her dispute with Miranda made her a minor celebrity when the incident made Page Six . Afraid she has been blacklisted from publishing for good, she moves back with her parents. She works on short fiction and finances her unemployment with profits made from reselling the designer clothing she was provided for her Paris trip. Seventeen buys one of her stories. At the novel's end, she returns to the Elias-Clark building to discuss a position at one of the company's other magazines and sees Miranda's new junior assistant, who looks as harried and put-upon as she once did.

Characters

Conception

Weisberger stated in publicity materials that Priestly's demands are partial fiction and a composite of actual experiences she and her friends had in their first jobs. [7] Some reviewers state that Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue , was the inspiration for Priestly. [8] After the film was released, another one of Wintour's assistants was identified as the model for Emily. [9]

Commercial and critical reception

Kate Betts, a former editor of Harper's Bazaar who also worked for Wintour at one point in her career, objected to the main character's lack of gratitude for the unique opportunity to work at Vogue: "[I]f Andrea doesn't ever realize why she should care about Miranda Priestly, why should we care about Andrea, or prize the text for anything more than the cheap frisson of the context?" [10] Janet Maslin described the novel as "a mean-spirited Gotcha! of a book, one that offers little indication that the author could interestingly sustain a gossip-free narrative." [11] Maslin avoided naming either the magazine where Weisberger had worked or the woman on whom she allegedly modeled her main character, [12] a practice the Times continued when the film was released. [13]

Jennifer Krauss of Newsday agreed that the book had problems but praised it as a "fun, frivolous read". [14]

Film adaptation

The film version was released on June 30, 2006 by 20th Century Fox. It was produced by Wendy Finerman ( Forrest Gump ), freely adapted for the screen by Aline Brosh McKenna and directed by David Frankel. Anne Hathaway plays Andrea Sachs, Emily Blunt plays Miranda's Senior Assistant, Emily, and Meryl Streep earned critical praise, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actress nomination as Miranda.

Filming began during fall 2005, on location in New York and Paris. Weisberger herself made a very brief non-speaking cameo appearance as the twins' nanny.

The film was very successful, taking in over $300 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film for both Streep and Hathaway to that date. In September, Weisberger and Frankel jointly accepted the first-ever Quill Variety Blockbuster Book to Film Award.

Sequel

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, the book's sequel, is set a decade after the events of the first novel. In it, Andy is the editor for a new bridal magazine, but as she plans her own wedding she remains haunted by her experience with Miranda until the two meet again. [15]

The Associated Press stated, "The book successfully sprinkles pop culture tidbits to keep up the breezy tone...for this summer, it's a pleasant, entertaining read in a tabloid magazine sort of way." [16] Departures said, "Miranda Priestly returns, more delightfully terrifying than ever, in this delicious sequel to The Devil Wears Prada." [17] The Richmond Times-Dispatch called it "an excellent page turner for summer vacation." [18] BookReporter wrote, "The reader is pulled into the glitz and glamour reminiscent of the New York Times bestseller The Devil Wears Prada and the movie adaptation." [19] The Washington Post said, "Miranda is pretty much the only thing that makes this book interesting." [20] MSN.com called the story "disconcerting". [21] A third novel, When Life Gives You Lululemons, was published in 2018.

Musical

In 2015, it was reported that Broadway producer Kevin McCollum ( Rent , Avenue Q amongst others) had signed a deal two years earlier with Fox to develop some of the films from its back catalog into musicals for the stage. He expressed particular interest in Mrs. Doubtfire and The Devil Wears Prada. Early in 2017, it was officially announced by McCollum that in partnership with Fox Stage Productions and Rocket Entertainment, [22] a musical version of The Devil Wears Prada (influenced by both the film and the book) would be produced. Sir Elton John (who also wrote the scores for Billy Elliot and The Lion King amongst others) was announced as the composer for the project and Paul Rudnick (most notable for writing the film Sister Act ) would write the lyrics and story. The casting and production schedule is still to be announced but it is aimed to play on Broadway. [23]

The musical opened in Chicago in July 2022 for a four-week tryout before a planned move to New York. Beth Leavel portrays Miranda and Taylor Iman Jones plays Andy. Paul Rudnick withdrew from the project prior to the opening. [24] [25]

Related Research Articles

Vogue U.S., also known as American Vogue, or simply Vogue, is a monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers style news, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. It is part of the global collection of Condé Nast's VOGUE media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prada</span> Italian luxury fashion house

Prada S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear and L’Oréal for fragrances and cosmetics. The company takes advantage of forced labour in China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Wintour</span> British and American media executive (born 1949)

Dame Anna Wintour is a British and American media executive, who has served as editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988. Wintour has also served as Global Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast since 2020, where she oversees all Condé Nast publications worldwide, and concurrently serves as Artistic Director. Wintour is also Global Editorial Director of Vogue. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses, Wintour is regarded as the most powerful woman in publishing, and has become an important figure in the fashion world. Wintour is praised for her skill in identifying emerging fashion trends, but has been criticised for her reportedly aloof and demanding personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Blunt</span> British actress (born 1983)

Emily Olivia Laura Blunt is a British actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and four British Academy Film Awards. Forbes ranked her as one of the highest-paid actresses in the world in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manolo Blahnik</span> Spanish fashion designer (born 1942)

Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik Rodríguez is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of the eponymous high-end shoe brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Weisberger</span> American writer

Lauren Weisberger is an American writer and author of the 2003 bestseller The Devil Wears Prada, a roman à clef of her experience as an assistant to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Weisberger worked as a writer and editor for Vogue and Departures magazines prior to authoring The Devil Wears Prada, which was adapted into a film of the same name in 2006. She has since published seven other novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Kors</span> American fashion designer (born 1959)

Michael David Kors is an American fashion designer. He is the chief creative officer of his brand, Michael Kors, which sells men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, watches, jewelry, footwear, and fragrance. Kors was the first women's ready-to-wear designer for the French house Celine, from 1997 to 2003. On January 2, 2019, Michael Kors Holdings Limited officially changed its name to Capri Holdings Limited. Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, and Versace are the three founder-led brands under Capri Holdings Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miranda Kerr</span> Australian model (born 1983)

Miranda May Kerr is an Australian model. She rose to prominence in 2007 as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. Kerr was the first Australian Victoria's Secret model and also represented the Australian department store chain David Jones. She has launched her own brand of organic skincare products, KORA Organics, and has written a self-help book.

<i>The Devil Wears Prada</i> (film) 2006 film by David Frankel

The Devil Wears Prada is a 2006 American comedy-drama film directed by David Frankel and produced by Wendy Finerman. The screenplay, written by Aline Brosh McKenna, is based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger. The film stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Emily Blunt and Adrian Grenier.

Victoria Rowland, known both professionally and socially as Plum Sykes, is an English-born fashion journalist, novelist, and socialite.

<i>The Devil Wears Prada</i> (soundtrack) 2006 soundtrack album by Various Artists

The soundtrack album for The Devil Wears Prada was released by Warner Brothers/WEA on July 11, 2006. It includes popular songs by U2 and Madonna, and work by Alanis Morissette and Jamiroquai, many of which were used for significant scenes in the film. The film also contains the Blackliquid Remix to DJ Colette's hit single, "Feelin' Hypnotized". However, "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall, which plays over the opening credits, is not included on the album, nor are some other tracks like Bitter:Sweet's "Our Remains" and Madonna's "Jump", to the disappointment of many buyers. It enjoyed some popularity nevertheless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">André Leon Talley</span> American fashion journalist (1948–2022)

André Leon Talley was an American fashion journalist, stylist, creative director, and editor-at-large of Vogue magazine. He was the magazine's fashion news director from 1983 to 1987, its first African-American male creative director from 1988 to 1995, and then its editor-at-large from 1998 to 2013. Often regarded as a fashion icon, he was known for supporting emerging designers and advocating for diversity in the fashion industry; while the capes, kaftans, and robes he wore became his trademark look. Talley also served on the judging panel for America's Next Top Model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aline Brosh McKenna</span> American screenwriter, producer, and director

Aline Brosh McKenna is an American screenwriter, producer and director. Her credits include writing The Devil Wears Prada (2006), 27 Dresses (2008), Morning Glory (2010), We Bought a Zoo (2011) and co-creating The CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

<i>Everyone Worth Knowing</i>

Everyone Worth Knowing is Lauren Weisberger's second novel. Published in 2005, its plot surrounds lead character Bette Robinson, a single woman in New York City who is caught up in the city's party circuit through her new job in public relations.

Emily Sandberg Gold is an American businesswoman, model, and actress. She was born in Rochester, MN; home of the Mayo Clinic. Gold was the international face of Clinique, Donna Karan, Versace, Fendi, and The Gap. She has also been featured on the covers of Italian Vogue, Japanese Vogue, and Italian Marie Claire.

<i>Style</i> (TV series) South Korean TV series or program

Style is a 2009 South Korean television series starring Kim Hye-soo, Lee Ji-ah, Ryu Si-won, and Lee Yong-woo. It aired on SBS from August 1 to September 20, 2009 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:45 for 16 episodes. Based on the popular 2008 chick lit novel of the same title by former fashion reporter Baek Young-ok, Style depicts the inner workings of a fictional fashion magazine.

Katherine Hadley Betts is an American fashion journalist. Currently she is a contributing editor at Time and The Daily Beast, among other freelance writing positions, and reporting on fashion for CNN. She lives in New York with her family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meryl Streep in the 2000s</span>

Meryl Streep throughout the 2000s appeared in many cinematic and theatrical productions. In 2001, Streep's voice appeared in the animated film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Streep that same year co-hosted the annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert, as well as appeared in the popular play The Seagull. In 2002, Streep appeared in the films Adaptation. and The Hours. In 2003, Streep appeared unaccredited in the comedy Stuck on You, and starred in the HBO play adaptation Angels in America. In 2004, Streep was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award, and in that same year, she starred in the films The Manchurian Candidate and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. In 2005, Streep starred in the film Prime. Streep began 2006 with the film A Prairie Home Companion, and that same year, she starred in The Devil Wears Prada and the stage production Mother Courage and Her Children. In 2007, Streep appeared in the films Dark Matter, Rendition, Evening, and Lions for Lambs. In 2008, Streep starred in the films Mamma Mia! and Doubt. In 2009, Streep starred in the films Julie & Julia and It's Complicated, as well as loaning her voice to the animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miranda Priestly</span> Fictional character

Miranda Priestly is a character in Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel The Devil Wears Prada, portrayed by Meryl Streep in the 2006 film adaptation of the novel.

<i>The Devil Wears Prada</i> (musical) American stage musical

The Devil Wears Prada is a musical based on the novel and film of the same name, with music by Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub and a book by Kate Wetherhead.

References

  1. ↑ Memmott, Carol (June 21, 2006). "Chick lit, for better or worse, is here to stay". USA Today . Retrieved May 5, 2014. Industry observers and booksellers say a glut of pedestrian chick lit has new fans returning to proven, now-classic novels such as Nanny Diaries (2002), Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes (2004) and The Devil Wears Prada.
  2. ↑ Wells, Juliette (2006). "Chapter 3: Mothers of Chick Lit? Women Writers, Readers and Literary History". In Ferriss, Suzanne & Young, Malloy (eds.). Chick Lit: The New Woman's Fiction. Routledge. p. 54. ISBN   9780415975025 . Retrieved May 5, 2014. Heroines' professional identities and workday experiences are certainly important to the texture of chick-lit novels, and sometimes central to their plot: Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, for instance, is built around the young heroine's relationship with her fashion-magazine boss ...
  3. ↑ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (June 21, 2006). "The Devil Wears Prada". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 10, 2019. Lauren Weisberger, who wrote the hiss-and-tell roman à clef best-seller on which the picture is based, was herself an assistant to Wintour
  4. ↑ Gilbert, Sophie (June 3, 2013). "Lauren Weisberger's 'Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns'". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 10, 2019. Clearly, writing a roman à clef can be much more lucrative than working as an assistant at Condé Nast.
  5. ↑ "'The Devil Wears Prada' is getting a sequel!— Exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. May 31, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns Gets A Very Red Cover". Cinema Blend . March 17, 2013. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ "'The Devil Wears Prada'". Author Q&A. Random House. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  8. ↑ Smith, Kyle (June 30, 2006). "Guy at the Movies". The New York Post . Retrieved May 26, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Leslie Fremar Haunts Lauren Weisberger's Dreams". Gawker . July 11, 2006. Archived from the original on July 14, 2006. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ Betts, Kate (April 13, 2003). "'The Devil Wears Prada': Anna Dearest". The New York Times Book Review . Retrieved February 7, 2007.
  11. ↑ Maslin, Janet (April 14, 2003). "Books of the Times: Elegant Magazine, Avalanche of Dirt" . The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Colford, Paul (April 15, 2003). "Wintour of Discontent". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on April 17, 2003.
  13. ↑ Scott, A.O. (June 30, 2006). "'The Devil Wears Prada': Review". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  14. ↑ Krauss, Jennifer (April 14, 2003). "It's Working Girl Meets Cruella de Ville". Newsday. New York. Archived from the original on April 23, 2003.
  15. ↑ Lee, Stephan (March 15, 2013). "See the Cover of 'Revenge Wears Prada', Sequel to 'Devil Wears Prada'—Exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  16. ↑ Critchell, Samantha. "Book review: The devil is in the details of 'Revenge Wears Prada'". Lincoln Journal Star . Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  17. ↑ McGee, Celia (April 23, 2013). "Summer Reading List". Departures . Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  18. ↑ Sharp, Michelle (July 21, 2013). "Book review (fiction): Revenge Wears Prada". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
  19. ↑ "Editorial Content for Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns". BookReporter.
  20. ↑ Gilbert, Sophie. "Lauren Weisberger's 'Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns'". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  21. ↑ Erbland, Kate (March 19, 2013). "Fan of the Ending of 'Devil Wears Prada'? You Might Not Be Wild About Its New Sequel". Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  22. ↑ Paulson, Michael (April 8, 2018). "'The Devil Wears Prada' Is Aiming for Broadway, as a Musical" . The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  23. ↑ Parsons, Ellen (January 26, 2017). "Elton John and Paul Rudnick to write The Devil Wears Prada musical". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  24. ↑ Culwell-Block, Logan (July 19, 2022). "The Devil Wears Prada Stage Musical Begins World Premiere in Chicago July 19". Playbill . Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  25. ↑ Houlihan, Mary (July 18, 2022). "'The Devil Wears Prada' stage musical arrives in grand style for world premiere in Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times .
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