The Devil Wears Prada Prepares for a Return: A Chance to Address Sustainable Fashion and Representation

Twenty years after Andy Sachs first walked into the offices of Runway, The Devil Wears Prada is back. The 2006 original, with its sharp wit and behind-the-scenes look at fashion, captured an era of style and ambition, and asked hard questions about sacrifice and the cost of success. Its sequel has now reunited the original cast and returned audiences to the world of fashion on screen.

The sequel opened on 1 May 2026 with $77 million at the North American box office, proof of how deeply these characters still resonate. And it opens a bigger conversation. The fashion world it portrays has changed profoundly in twenty years, and on-screen fashion has the power to reflect sustainability, representation and the realities of how our clothes are made.

So what stories are still waiting to be told? Here are seven themes that fashion on screen, from this franchise and beyond, could explore next.

Issue 01

Redefining Elegance

Fashion on screen could put sustainable fashion centre stage, featuring established and emerging brands known for recycled materials, alternatives to leather and fur, non-toxic processes and a commitment to social justice.

Characters could work alongside campaigns from organisations such as Fashion Revolution and Remake, which push for transparency and fairness across the industry, or be dressed using sustainable style guides at high-profile events, such as BLACK PEARL’s own Sustainable Style Guide. Stories like these could help audiences understand how to reduce fashion’s environmental and social footprint.

Issue 02

Fast Fashion and Its Consequences

Fast fashion, built on rapid production and disposable clothing, carries a heavy environmental and human cost. Its brands are frequently criticised for driving waste and poor working conditions.

Film could contrast fashion’s glamorous surface with these realities, sparking conversations about more responsible consumption. Fast fashion is a major driver of the estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste generated globally every year.

Issue 03

Representation and Diversity

Fashion has long excluded Indigenous and BIPOC communities, but a new generation of changemakers is rewriting the story. Fashion on screen could centre characters from diverse backgrounds, and celebrate the people already transforming the industry.

Representation in high fashion remains far from equal, on the runway and behind the scenes. Real-life initiatives that support underrepresented creatives, including disabled people, could give these stories depth, and a reminder that inclusion means accessibility too.

Issue 04

Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation

Cultural appropriation remains one of fashion’s most contested issues, as elements of marginalised cultures are taken without credit or respect. Fashion on screen could explore the ethics of using cultural motifs, confront issues such as blackface and the misuse of Indigenous and sacred symbols, and model what genuine respect looks like.

Characters wrestling with how, and whether, to draw on other cultures in their work would bring nuance to a debate that matters deeply to so many communities.

Issue 05

Fashion and Mental Health

Fashion’s focus on appearance and unrealistic beauty standards can take a real toll on mental health, from creatives to models. Research has long linked exposure to idealised fashion imagery with body dissatisfaction, and the pressure to conform weighs heavily on many who work in the industry.

Film could explore how characters cope with body image and the pressure to fit in, and open honest conversations about mental health, wellbeing and self-acceptance.

Issue 06

Fair Labour and Fair Trade

Fashion’s labour practices are often criticised for a lack of fairness and transparency. Stories about characters who work with brands committed to better conditions could draw a sharp contrast with the exploitation common in fast fashion.

Such stories could raise awareness of why fair treatment matters, and of tools such as Fair Trade certification, which works to ensure fair pay and safe conditions, and campaigns like Remake’s #PayUp, which have pushed brands to pay garment workers what they are owed.

Issue 07

Fashion as Activism

Fashion can be a powerful tool for change. Characters could use their platforms to speak up on climate change, biodiversity and gender equality, as more and more of the industry already does, from environmental campaigns to advocacy for social justice and animal welfare. Fashion on screen can show how style and substance belong together.