Although it is said that in fashion you’re only as good as your last collection, after 20 years The Devil Wears Prada remains the benchmark for capturing the heady world of a multibillion-dollar industry built on fantasy, big egos and reams of fabric through the lens of a high-fashion glossy.
But would the sequel prove to be a tired rehash or live up to the hype that has been building since the trailer dropped late last year?
And, more crucially, would Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly be able to raise the bar she set for cutting putdowns like “Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking”, “That’s all”, and “Don’t be ridiculous Andrea, everybody wants this”?
Anna Wintour’s celluloid doppelganger snapped in my thoughts as I arrived on a brisk Tuesday evening, not in the heady fashion capital of Paris but on the rooftop parking lot of a shopping centre in, er, Bedfordview in Joburg’s east, for the South African premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2.
“Runway ready” was the brief for guests, and red carpet host Pamela Mtanga (who, if you squint your eyes, looks like Bonang Matheba’s younger sister) opted for the corporate girlie meets catwalk look with a high-shine white shirt and red maxi skirt.
Pabi Moloi opted for a monochrome floor-grazing Imprint while Zozibini Tunzi (what a relief our Miss Universe 2019 finally has a steady job) took the hard-edged glam route in an oxblood red leather boob-tube dress.
I quite liked the exuberance of Yolanda Mukondeleli’s lime green coat, appreciated designer Thula Sindi’s tongue-in-cheek styling (floral pants with Prada boots) and Yaya Mavundla gets an A for effort, hunting down a dress in the right shade of cerulean as Andy Sachs’ sweater in that memorable scene from the first movie.
But, for sheer star power, finesse and dressing commensurate to the occasion, Bonang proved again why she is still the one to watch on the red carpet.
“I don’t know the name of the designer, but Dahmola [Oluwabukola] styled me,” answered Queen B, referring to the Nigerian stylist who is drawing international renown for his of-the-moment aesthetic.
And what was the inspiration behind the power-dressing moment, all sculptural lines and polished off with slicked-back hair, stockings, pointed heels and a nod to Miranda with those dark-as-night shades?
“The theme is Runway Ready, right, so I imagined that if I walked into the headquarters of Runway magazine and I had to be the new Miranda Priestly, this is how I would look. That’s all.”
Back to the party and heading up the escalators and past a display featuring a giant red stiletto, the 600+ guests could nibble on snacks like seared beef medallions on hash browns, bite-sized grilled cheddar and mozzarella sandwiches and vegetarian bagels, or pick from macaron towers. A slight step up from the usual movie premiere fare, but then that bar is generally quite low.
And drink-wise, a missed opportunity for a coffee brand to come on board so we could all sip on no-foam, extra-shot, extra-hot skim milk lattes as we headed into the complex’s 10 theatres to watch the flick on the big screen.
There I found myself one row up from actress-turned-marketing-entrepreneur Annie Malan, wearing vintage Chanel with a “We Should All Be Feminists” Dior tee. Tres chic.
On to the movie. The sequel deviates from author Lauren Weisberger’s follow-up to her bestseller. Instead, the plot centres around Anne Hathaway’s character’s return to Runway to put out fires after the editor is embroiled in a credibility scandal.
It’s a wry take on how the tables have turned for legacy media, with Miranda admitting that the traditionally advertiser-filled bumper September issue is now “so thin you could floss your teeth with it”.
There are plenty of lines that no doubt will be cropping up on TikTok, but methinks the one we will hear the most — “May the bridges I burn light the way” — actually comes from the 1990s teen hit show Beverly Hills 90210.
Back outside for fresh air, and I spot a late arrival, Mamello Makha, making the most of the deserted red carpet to snap her Instagram content.
Finishing off her outfit with a black Prada tie dangling down her bosom, the beauty salon and clothing boutique owner who has gained attention as a soccer super-fan confessed: “I don’t know much about the movie; it’s my first time today, so I am ready to learn more about it.”
Um, considering it was already a long time into the screening, I’d wager that Mamello has a greater chance of convincing Gayton McKenzie to send her to the Soccer World Cup than of learning more about the titular European luxury-brand-wearing editrix.
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