Behind the Scenes: The Enduring Legacy of the Cerulean Sweater in The Devil Wears Prada 2
Michael King
Published May 15, 2026
By Published May 3, 2026, 10:12 AM EDT Matthew Rudoy is one of ScreenRant's Movie & TV News Editors. He covers the latest in movie & TV news, with a focus on major franchises like Star Wars, The Boys, and Game of Thrones, and also writes some features and reviews. He wrote lists for ScreenRant from 2017-2026, became a news writer in 2026, a senior staff writer in 2026, and an editor in 2026. follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
Warning: There are spoilers ahead for The Devil Wears Prada 2.The famous cerulean sweater subtly returns in the ending of .
During the original film, one of the (Meryl Streep) comes when she educates Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) about the blue sweater she is wearing. Miranda reveals that the sweater is specifically cerulean and breaks down the history of how the fashion industry made the color popular, how it represents "millions of dollars and countless jobs," and that no one, including Andy, is exempt from having their choices shaped by fashion.
In an interview with , director David Frankel explains that the cerulean sweater's presence in the sequel's final scene came out of collaboration with Hathaway and costume designer Molly Rogers, the latter of whom "pulled a copy of the original sweater out of storage somewhere, and she and Annie restyled it."
According to Frankel, it's a duplicate of the sweater Hathaway wore in the 2006 movie, and the star wanted to "cut the sleeves off of it to turn it into the vest" that Andy is wearing in the closing moments, which they made happen. Frankel jokes that "it was the understudy for the original sweater."
A reference to the original cerulean sweater is also included in The Devil Wears Prada 2's opening scene. When Andy is walking through Central Park, a street vendor holds up two belts in a way intentionally similar to Jocelyn (Rebecca Mader). Miranda's monologue came out of Andy being amused by Jocelyn holding up the belts for Miranda and the serious discussion about which to choose. The reminder of Andy's past at Runway is not just meant for the audience, as she sees it and winces as she continues walking.
The use of the belts was "something that came up as we were trying to conceive of the opening, just a little wink," says Frankel. He was wary of incorporating too many references, which is why Andy's Chanel boots do not come back, although she does tell Amari Mari (Simone Ashley) about previously giving them away.
There are some other callbacks to the first movie, including Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci) calling Andy "six" when she returns to Runway, Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) saying, "Shared carbs have no calories," and Andy telling Miranda's second assistant Charlie (Caleb Hearon) never to go up the stairs at his boss's house, only for her to do exactly that later on.
Some of these references have been noted in critics' reviews, but the film has received praise for plenty of other elements as well, especially the commentary on journalism and modern media. In , Brandon Zachary writes that "It is a well-constructed sequel that finds a healthy balance between nostalgia and forward momentum" and gives the film 7 out of 10 stars. As of this writing, the score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes is a "Certified Fresh" 77%.
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Given the 87% score from audiences and a $233 million global opening weekend gross at the box office, the general reception has been even more positive. The critical and commercial success potentially opens the , particularly since Andy is now working at Runway as a full-time editor alongside Miranda and Nigel.
If a third movie does happen, there will be opportunities not only to cleverly reference the cerulean sweater and other memorable scenes from the first film, but opportunities to reference the best scenes from The Devil Wears Prada 2 as well.
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Miranda Priestly -
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