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Costume designer Molly Rogers learned from the best, working hand-in-hand with legendary stylist Patricia Field on projects like Sex and the City, Ugly Betty and The Devil Wears Prada. Now, she’s stepping into the fashion closet solo for the highly anticipated sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 (in theaters May 1), bringing that same sharp eye — and deep understanding of each character’s DNA — into a new era.
That vision comes through in everything from Miranda’s bespoke Balenciaga gown — which Rogers describes as one of the movie’s standout costumes — to a striking chainmail dress by Rabanne, one of more than 100 outfits she sourced for the principal players.
In the latest issue of Us Weekly, Rogers opens up about how she balanced honoring and evolving the original film’s iconic style — and how she brought the Runway world back with a mix of timeless and vintage finds.
Scroll on for the full interview — plus a rapid-fire round where Rogers crowns the best-dressed characters, reveals the most expensive look and teases the movie moments fans will be talking about:
What was your starting point for the overall visual direction of the sequel?
It was important to me to bring forward the costume philosophy from the original movie that Pat established. Her goal was to keep the clothes as timeless as possible, even though it was a contemporary film about the fashion/magazine industry.
It was as important then as it was to me on DWP2 to find classic silhouettes and sell Miranda Priestly [Meryl Streep] as the formidable boss, Andrea [Anne Hathaway] as the New Yorker you root for, Emily [Emily Blunt] as the dry wit everyone knows in that cutthroat orbit and Nigel [Stanley Tucci] as the archetypal creative director.
How does costume design help tell this next chapter of the story?
I believe Andrea is a particularly good example of costumes helping to illustrate a character’s path. She’s a seasoned reporter and has traveled quite a bit, and did take away fashion knowledge from her stint at Runway. So she’s not clueless when it comes to a personal style. … Her vintage Coach messenger bag (right) is a perfect accessory; believable as a work bag for a reporter but with a touch of panache and knowledge.
How collaborative was the process with the actors?
Meryl gave me so much time. … She was super-engaged in the process and knew she wanted details like shoulder pads and was just an incredible source of smart choices, advice and support … Anne, Emily, Stanley are all seasoned in the ways of the costume world and it was very exciting to hear their ideas or witness what they responded to in a fitting. … Of course, all shoppers fought over Emily’s costume shopping list as it was the most edgy.
Are there any callbacks to the original film?
Chanel asked if I wanted the thigh boots back, but you really can’t go near that scene. It is so ingrained in culture; it’s best served left alone in perpetuity. For me, that would be sacrilegious — like wearing a Marilyn Monroe museum dress. Some things need to stay sacred, [so] hands off! But the first call I made to the studio was to ask what had survived storage. I wanted that blue [cerulean] sweater … It made sense to have an encore!
Are there any looks that will make fans gasp?
I love Miranda’s walk through Milano — lit so beautifully, like a fairy tale. “Everyone wants to be us, Andrea.”
Andy’s transformation was central to the first film. Where do we find her style now?
Andy, in the first movie, was a fish out of water at Runway. In [this one], she hasn’t rejected that world, but has re-entered it with a more mature sense of what she can bring to it. Her style reflects her travel as a roving reporter, her life as a New Yorker and she enjoys the boost that Nigel can give her through their forays into the Runway closet.
What’s the one outfit that screams she’s not the same girl anymore?
Going to the Hamptons in the [patterned] Gabriela Hearst maxi; I compare it to when The Wizard of Oz goes from black and white to color. The mosaic colors in that dress announce, “We aren’t in Kansas anymore.”
How do you evolve Miranda’s look without losing her signature power?
Her wardrobe needed to exude confidence and ease. Miranda is the supreme authority at Runway and the lines of her clothing needed clean, quiet style. She commands a room. Nothing wears her. The softer skirts signify how she glides through her world and sharp shoulders show authority.
How about Emily’s style?
Emily works at Dior, but … I didn’t want her in head-to-toe Dior; it would have been too flat. I mixed the same designers from the first movie, Rick Owens, [Vivienne] Westwood, [with] edgier labels as she has remained fashion-forward… She’s a risk taker and is out for herself… She’s tough, just look at the funeral outfit.
Did you expand Nigel’s fashion presence this time around?
I conjure up creative directors like Hamish [Bowles], André Leon Talley, a little bit of Stanford Blatch — his clothing has a touch of British dandy to it. Stanley is very interactive in fittings; he is very good at picking out combinations of ties and pocket squares. … He is the power behind the throne.
Runway Rapid Fire
Best dressed? Miranda, Balenciaga gown. [Andy], Armani Privè velvet suspender evening look. Emily, an outfit we killed.
Andy Sachs: fashion lover or fashion rebel? Fashion observer.
Emily in three words? Irreverent, calculating, sharp.
Nigel’s vibe this time around? A constant touchstone in a world turning upside down.
Most expensive look? [Miranda Priestly’s bespoke] Balenciaga red gown.
A trend from 2006 that should stay buried? Baby tees?
A trend from today you secretly hate? The today trend I dislike — and not secretly — is the constant judgment of women in everything they do. Women need to be supported and applauded loudly. I do not believe the negative analysis 24/7 is healthy or warranted for any of us, especially younger men and women.
Sustainability: buzzword or real shift? We can all do better, and it needs to become a real part of our lives, or we will be floating on an island of flip-flops.
The “cerulean sweater” moment of the sequel? The cerulean sweater [makes a] reprise! It was the first piece of clothing I wanted to get my hands on. [Also], the ending office scene is the perfect full-circle moment — Andy is in “her own skin.” We just had to hide the reveal with the Ralph Lauren jacket in the lunch scene with Emily. Anne took scissors to it to “customize” it after all these years.
Who has the most power — based on wardrobe alone? Miranda Priestly!
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