“Work while they sleep.” “What are you doing from midnight to 8 AM?” “Meritocracy.”
These are all phrases commonly used today to romanticize overwork, burnout, self-erasure, and sacrificing what truly matters to you — whether relationships, personal values, or your own wellbeing — in the name of becoming an exceptional professional.
But this mindset did not emerge overnight. It was already reflected in 2000s pop culture, especially in The Devil Wears Prada (2006). The film follows Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), a young journalist who becomes the assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the editor-in-chief of the prestigious fashion magazine Runway. Alongside colleagues Emily (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci), Andy is thrown into an environment driven by extreme pressure, competition, and the constant need for approval from her demanding boss, often described as “the devil.” As the sequel arrives in 2026, discussions surrounding this work culture are resurfacing — raising the question: will Miranda be more human in The Devil Wears Prada 2?
The firts film shows all three characters trapped within this system, humiliating themselves for Miranda’s validation, romanticizing the psychological abuse they endure, and accepting it as a necessary sacrifice to achieve the positions they dream of. Yet those opportunities never truly arrive — instead, they are constantly taken away from them.
Although it may seem fictional, the story was inspired by the real experiences of author Lauren Weisberger, who worked as an assistant to Anna Wintour, then editor-in-chief of Vogue.
Andy: effort without recognition
Andy knows nothing about the world of Runway, nor does she initially aspire to be part of it. But when the opportunity appears, she accepts it and, with Nigel’s help, slowly learns how to survive within the system.
She misses family dinners so Miranda can return home in time to watch her daughters’ recital. She skips her boyfriend’s birthday because Miranda needs her at an event.
As time goes on, Andy begins sacrificing her own values and personal life in an attempt to impress her boss and perhaps earn some form of recognition.
Yet after all her dedication — after abandoning her principles and distancing herself from the people she loves — she is still forgotten. In the sequel, Miranda does not even properly remember her, referring to her as simply “one of the Emilys.”
And even then, Andy remains loyal, still trying to impress Miranda and protect her career. The system promises that if you work hard enough, you will eventually be recognized. Andy proves otherwise. Even after accomplishing the impossible — including obtaining the unpublished Harry Potter manuscript — she receives no meaningful recognition, because all of it is treated as merely “part of her job.”
Emily: always an angel, never a god
Emily represents another brutal reality of the corporate world: any mistake, even one that is not directly your fault, can completely destroy your future.
She understands the rules of the game and desperately wants to succeed within it. She is willing to do whatever it takes to meet Miranda’s expectations — starving herself, sacrificing her wellbeing, reshaping her entire routine around work, and accepting absurd demands from her boss.
All of this is driven by one goal: attending Paris Fashion Week.
But all of her effort collapses when her body — not her commitment — shows weakness. She gets sick. As a result, her dream is taken away from her and handed to Andy, even though Andy had not dedicated herself in the same extreme way.
The film reinforces a toxic workplace logic that still exists today: if you are going to get sick, your boss expects you to warn them in advance.
Nigel: the embodiment of sacrifice
Nigel is the ideal employee: experienced, efficient, and completely shaped by the rules of the industry. He teaches Andy how the system works and consistently exceeds Miranda’s expectations. He is also one of the few employees who occasionally receives praise from her.
After years at the magazine, Nigel develops not only an emotional attachment to the job, but also to Miranda herself. In some way, they seem to view each other as friends. Finally, after years of dedication, his long-awaited opportunity arrives: becoming a partner in a new fashion company and gaining a sense of freedom for the first time.
But Miranda sacrifices him to protect her own position. Nigel does not fight back. Instead, he accepts it, believing that one day she will reward him for his loyalty. The sequel makes one thing painfully clear: that day never comes. He continues giving everything he has to Runway and to Miranda, while she openly admits she underestimates him and fails to recognize that they share the same level of devotion to the magazine.The recognition they were taught to chase never truly arrives.
The three characters follow different paths, but all of them expose the same flaw in modern work culture: hard work does not guarantee recognition, mistakes can cost you everything, and the promises made by toxic systems are rarely fulfilled.
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The article above was edited by Júlia Darú.
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