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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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Gird your loins, fashion lovers, because the trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 has finally dropped, and internet users already have some thoughts (groundbreaking).
They have been sent into a frenzy following the release of the first trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2, set for release on May 1, 2026. The sequel to the 2006 movie will follow the travails of the Runway editor, Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep) as she tackles the decline of print media and sees competition for her newest rival, Emily Charlton (played by Emily Blunt).
The trailer, which was dropped on November 12, shows Priestly’s character strutting powerfully in her iconic red stilettos, before being joined by Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) in the elevator. While the trailer has already generated over 3.5 million views on YouTube at the time of writing, social media users were quick to share their Priestly-esque critiques.
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Indeed, many have taken to TikTok to question the shoe choice in particular.
TikTok user Lillie Rohan (@newswithlils) called it a "diabolical move" to put the indomitable editor in the Valentino Rockstud shoe in 2025. Rohan, 28, told Newsweek that it was "a jolting experience" to see such an outmoded shoe take center stage in the trailer.
"We’re so used to Miranda being this chic, sophisticated woman, and suddenly she’s in heels that should have been retired after the 2013 clubbing era," Rohan said.
"But then again, maybe it means something. Maybe the shoes are a metaphor for where Miranda sits in the fashion world now. Or maybe they’re trending again and I genuinely have no idea what I’m talking about, which my comment section has pointed out."
It’s long been thought that Priestly’s character was based on Anna Wintour, the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine. But Amy Odell, the New York Times bestselling author of ANNA: The Biography, said that she "can’t unsee these shoes."
Posting on TikTok, @amyodellwriter, Odell said that Priestly’s fashion doesn’t directly resemble Wintour’s style, but the red Valentino shoes are "kind of a choice" nonetheless. She also noted that on-screen fashion has become bigger and bolder in recent years (citing shows such as Emily in Paris, Just Like That and everybody’s newest TV obsession, All’s Fair).
Not everyone slated the shoe however, as TikTok user Joshua Chenault (@joshuachenault) defended the fashion statement. He blasted the so-called "fashion critics" for questioning why Priestly would wear a shoe that was popular in the early 2010s, as he suggests that Priestly doesn’t follow trends—she sets them.
Lest we forget the societal importance of the cerulean belt after all.
Speaking about why he thinks the Valentino shoe was the right choice, Chenault told Newsweek that Priestly's character is "way too ahead of the current for her to wear something that is trendy." It was such a jaw-dropping moment to see the red studded shoe, and that's exactly the reaction Priestly herself would want. When would she ever play it safe?
Chenault said he can't get enough of how stylish the red pump looks in the trailer, and thinks it may even make a comeback now that it has the Priestly seal of approval.
Chenault said: "I think the shoe has proved divisive because the Rockstud trend was from a time when a lot of people who are now watching the movie were thriving in. They saw everyone wearing the Rockstud shoes and jackets in real time, so it’s hard for them to believe that Miranda would be wearing something that they saw come and go."
Explaining his take on TikTok, Chenault said**:** "Why would she not be wearing a shoe that no one else is thinking of right now? Like, why would Miranda Priestly be following a crowd?"
This take was echoed by art and fashion historian Robert Ossant, who told Newsweek that the Valentino Rockstud shoe signals Priestly’s "allegiance to enduring style." Ossant, author of The Art of Couture Embroidery: The secrets of runway design, suggests that fashion greats like Priestly rise above the latest trends and instead draw from archival pieces, which is arguably an even greater flex.
"The Valentino Rockstud pumps are a modern classic, created under Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri, who led the house from 2008 to 2016," Ossant said.
"The steel stud was the most iconic motif they added during their joint tenure at the house. It originally underscored the Roman house’s connection to classical history—establishing the Valentino brand as part of the wider Roman legacy. I can see why the costume team would choose this shoe. There’s a lot to unpack in the Valentino designs of that era," he said.
When it comes to high fashion, Ossant says there is no such thing as outdated. If anything, the value and desirability only increase as time goes on.
"This teaser trailer has already inspired the kind of footwear we’ll likely see in 2026," Ossant said.
For such a short trailer, there have certainly been plenty of talking points. Aside from shoe-gate, others have been quite to highlight that the film is set for release just days before next year’s Met Gala—surely not a coincidence?
Not the mention, seeing Sachs dare to step into the same elevator as Priestly has raised some eyebrows. Priestly famously refused to share the elevator cart with anyone else in the first film, but it seems now that Sachs is an exception.
Newsweek contacted Odell via email for comment.
Update 11/13/25, 10:52 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comments from Joshua Chenault.
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