The devil wears Prada 2 is a love letter to Italian fashion

The click of a stiletto on marble is a sound that overcomes cinema: it is the heartbeat of fashion industry. Two decades after Miranda Priestly first redefined the “cerulean” landscape of our wardrobes and noted that “everyone wants to be us,” the most anticipated sequel in fashion history has arrived.

If the original film was a sharp-tongued satire of the New York publishing world, The Devil Wears Prada 2 serves also as something far more romantic: a lush, cinematic love letter to the ancestral homeland of fashion and craftsmanship.

Italy isn’t just a backdrop in this new chapter: it is a protagonist. From the storied ateliers of Milan to the sun-drenched waters of Lake Como, the film swaps the frantic Manhattan for the dolce vita. It is a visual feast that proves, once and for all, that while fashion might be born in the sketches of designers, it lives in the soul of Italy’s most symbolic fashion landmarks.

In this long-awaited sequel, the narrative shifts from the survival of an assistant to the survival of an empire. Miranda Priestly finds her reign at Runway threatened by a digital-first landscape and the aggressive rise of luxury investment funds.

The film also, and above all, serves as a tribute to the Made in Italy. While the first movie was set also in Paris, in the sequel the Runway team joins Milan Fashion Week, taking part in an iconic Dolce & Gabbana fashion show. From the Quadrilatero della moda to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, The Devil Wears Prada 2 becomes a true love letter to the artistry and history of Italian fashion that only Italy can provide.

One of the movie’s most poignant moments occurs in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. In a rare moment of vulnerability, Miranda Priestly is seen standing alone in the center of the arcade at night, framed by the soaring glass vaults and intricate mosaics.

As Italy’s oldest shopping arcade (completed in 1877), the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II provides a sense of history that dwarfs the seasonal trends Miranda usually commands. The stillness of the arcade, with all the fashion stores closed (including the Prada boutique), highlights the isolation of power, set against a backdrop of architectural perfection.

The production team spent weeks filming in the Quadrilatero della Moda, the legendary “Golden Quad” that serves as the epicenter of global luxury. This fashion district—bounded by Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga—is where the film truly flies.

The cameras linger on the flagship windows of Prada, Versace, and Gucci, treating these storefronts like high-art galleries. The energy here is pure sensory overload: the sound of stilettos on granite, the electric Fashion Week buzz, and iconic cameos likes the one of Donatella Versace in one of the most famous Milan restaurants.

For a crucial scene involving a gala for the rebranding of the magazine, the film moves to the Pinacoteca di Brera. The courtyard, with its bronze statue of Napoleon, serves as a dramatic runway.

The movie draws a direct parallel between the old masters hanging on the walls—Raphael, Bellini, and Caravaggio—and the couture pieces worn by the guests. The idea is that fashion, at its highest level, is an extension of the fine arts.

In perhaps the most exclusive sequence ever put to film, the production moves to the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie for an elegant dinner held behind Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.

In this hushed, sacred space, the world’s fashion elite gather at a long, minimalist table that mirrors the composition of the masterpiece itself. Even though Leonardo’s masterpiece was recreated and the scene was filmed in the US on a purpose-built theater set, this part of the movie is a masterclass in tension and luxury.

The weight of history and the future of a multi-billion-dollar industry collide over crystal and candlelight. It is a bold statement: fashion is the modern religion, and Miranda is its high priestess.

Known as the little Versailles of Milan, the 17th-century estate Villa Arconati serves as the setting for an exclusive, high-stakes fashion retreat. The camera wanders through the Corte Nobile and the scalone d’onore (stairway of honor), but the true showstopper is the sala di Fetonte.

Beneath its illusionistic frescoes of Villa Arconati, Miranda makes a decision that changes the course of the film, using the villa’s grandeur to mask a ruthless corporate maneuver.

In a scene that immediately went viral, Andy and Emily are seen slicing through the lake Como on a vintage Riva speedboat, passing Villa Oleandra (George Clooney’s iconic estate).

However, the heart of the lake Como sequence is Villa Balbiano. This 16th-century palazzo represents old world glamour at its peak, providing a lush, tranquil contrast to the modern chaos of the fashion industry.

It is here that the movie’s love letter concludes, reminding the audience that style is not just about what you wear, but how and where you live.

For the sophisticated traveler, the Italian locations of The Devil Wears Prada 2 offer a perfect itinerary for an Italian getaway. Whether it’s sipping an espresso in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II or taking a private boat across Lake Como, these sites allow fans to step into the world of The Devil Wears Prada 2.

As the film rolls until the end, the message is clear. Trends may come and go, and magazines may change their medium, but the allure of Italy is the only thing that will never go out of style. This sequel isn’t just a follow-up to a cult movie: it is an invitation to fall in love with the world of fashion all over again through the lens of Italy, the most beautiful country on earth.