Anna Wintour reflects on 'The Devil Wears Prada' and her Vogue legacy

Fashion icon Anna Wintour recently shared her candid thoughts on The Devil Wears Prada, the 2006 hit film loosely inspired by her tenure as Vogue’s formidable editor-in-chief. Speaking on The New Yorker Radio Hour podcast, Wintour revealed that she attended the movie’s premiere without any idea what awaited her on screen.

“I went to the premiere wearing Prada, completely having no idea what the film was going to be about,” she recalled. “The fashion industry were very sweetly concerned for me, that it was going to paint me in some kind of difficult light.”

The film, starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt, dramatized the story of an ambitious assistant navigating the intimidating world of high fashion under the fictional editor Miranda Priestly. While many speculated Priestly was modeled after Wintour, she surprised critics by embracing the film’s wit and star power.

“First of all, it was Meryl Streep, which—fantastic,” she said. “I went to see the film, and I found it highly enjoyable. It was very funny. It had a lot of humor, a lot of wit. It had Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt—they were all amazing. In the end, I thought it was a fair shot.”

Wintour even joked that she and designer Miuccia Prada still discuss the film. “I say to her, ‘Well, it was really good for you,’” she quipped.

A new chapter for Vogue

Beyond her reflections on pop culture, Wintour also made headlines with a career-defining announcement. On June 26, she confirmed she would be stepping down as editor-in-chief of Vogue US, a role she has held since 1988.

“Anybody in a creative field knows how essential it is never to stop growing in one’s work,” Wintour told her team. “When I became the editor of Vogue, I was eager to prove that there was a new, exciting way to imagine an American fashion magazine.”

While she departs from her iconic editorial post, Wintour will continue to shape fashion media as Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director for Vogue. The magazine also named Chloe Malle as its new editor-in-chief, ushering in a new era for the brand.

After nearly four decades, Wintour’s reign at Vogue remains synonymous with authority, innovation, and influence. And in true Anna fashion—whether in reality or through Hollywood’s lens—her legacy is one of wit, resilience, and an uncompromising vision for style.