Anna Wintour Devil Wears Prada True Story - Lauren Weisberger Book Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA Lauren Weisberger Born: March 28, 1977 Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA People always tell me I was 'so brave' to take on Vogue and the industry in the way I did, but I was more naive than I was brave. There were fresh wounds from working at Condï¿½ Nast and that's simply what I knew best when I took on a novel. -Lauren Weisberger (Page Six Magazine, June 2008) Questioning the Story: Is Meryl Streep's character really based on Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour? Weisberger denies her book's reputed ties to Vogue. Many people have speculated that Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly character is in fact based on Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. This logical true story connection undoubtedly helped to sell more novels and movie tickets, not to mention bring Anna Wintour to the attention of the masses.

Lauren Weisberger, the author of The Devil Wears Prada book , has never publicly admitted that she based Meryl Streep's character on Anna Wintour, despite their obvious similarities -Salon.com. Did Prada author Lauren Weisberger once work as the Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour? Yes. Shortly after college, Lauren moved to Manhattan where she landed a job as the Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. Lauren worked at Vogue for approximately eleven months (The New York Times). She then moved on to the travel magazine Departures, where she wrote 100-word reviews. -LaurenWeisberger.com In what ways is the book's Miranda Priestly similar to Vogue's Anna Wintour? Even though The Devil Wears Prada author Lauren Weisberger has never publicly admitted to basing her character Miranda Priestly on her former Vogue boss, there are a handful of unquestionable similarities. The Anna Wintour Devil Wears Prada true story reveals the following parallels: Both Miranda from the book and the real life Anna Wintour are British. Both serve as the editor-in-chief of a major fashion magazine.

Both worked at their magazine's overseas counterpart before being transferred to New York (Miranda at French Runway and Wintour at British Vogue). Both have a fashion quirk (Wintour wears large, dark sunglasses while in the book Miranda sports a white Hermï¿½s scarf). Both enjoy playing tennis. Both serve on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both have marital problems that end in divorce. Both are known for their cold, cutthroat personalities. Both have nearly identical offices (which prompted Wintour to redecorate hers). Did Wintour really attend the movie's premiere? Wintour attended the Prada premiere in a Prada dress. Yes. Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour wore a Prada dress to a special advance screening of The Devil Wears Prada in New York. Meryl Streep described her as being "very, very cordial" when the two were introduced at the movie's premiere. "We chatted, briefly," said Streep. "She was very gracious. I think the book was probably more upsetting to her than the film." -guardian.co.uk What did Anna Wintour think of the movie?

The day after she attended the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada, Anna Wintour's spokesman issued a statement about the film, "She thought it was very entertaining. It was satire. What's not to like?" (guardian.co.uk) In a Barbara Walters Anna Wintour interview, the Vogue editor-in-chief conveyed her reaction to the movie by saying, "I thought the film was really entertaining. Anything that makes fashion entertaining and glamorous and interesting is wonderful for our industry. So, I was 100 percent behind it" (ABC News). Did Anna Wintour recognize any part of herself in Meryl Streep's character? Vogue Editor-in-Chief Wintour as a young London teenager. Wintour told Barbara Walters that she appreciated Streep's portrayal of the "decisive" editor, "I'm a very decisive person. I think it's actually helpful to people that you are working with, that you can make decisions," she said. "So, if Meryl seemed somewhat strong, I respect that" (ABC News).

One leading UK fashion editor referred to the book and movie's Miranda Priestly Anna Wintour connection as a "poor imitation of life," stating that any type of fiction could surely not surpass the reality of Wintour. The editor cited Wintour's outrageous requests at fashion shows to be seated out of the view of specific rival editors, and the fact that she does not carry a handbag. Instead, she utilizes the services of two Vogue staff members, whose main job is to carry her things around for her (guardian.co.uk). Does Vogue magazine's Anna Wintour expect her employees to come to work in style? Own a Devil Wears Prada t-shirt for the fictional Runway magazine. The Anna Wintour Devil Wears Prada true story reveals that, like Runway magazine's Miranda Priestly in the movie, the real life Anna Wintour expects her employees to dress up to the nines. In the BBC documentary Boss Woman, Vogue executive Plum Sykes explains, "Anna would never specify how you need to look; but I know that if I went into her office I would need to wear high heels and look groomed and look 'fashion'.

The clothes that people wear here in the day are clothes that most people would wear on their most glamorous night out of the year. Who's going to wear a chiffon Dolce & Gabbana skirt like this to the office? Only someone who works at Vogue" (The Independent). Anna Wintour herself has stated, "Hopefully [our employees] come to Vogue because they love fashion, and we expect, we don't dictate, a certain style of dress" (ABC News). Is Miranda Priestly's office a replica of Anna Wintour's? Meryl Streep's movie office (right) is a replica of Anna Wintour's Vogue office (left). Click image to enlarge. Yes. Miranda Priestly's office in the movie had an uncanny resemblance to Anna Wintour's real life Vogue office. Studying the two photographs reveals the obvious similarities, from the octagonal mirror and matted photographs on the wall, to the flowers and lamp on the desk (not to mention the actual desk itself). The movie's replica office prompted Anna to redecorate her own. -telegraph.co.uk Is the real Anna Wintour as cruel as Miranda Priestly?

Former employees, colleagues, and insiders say that Wintour is a lot like her onscreen counterpart, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Wintour's no nonsense management style has earned her the nickname "Nuclear" Wintour. "I think she has been very rude to a lot of people in the past," says a former colleague. "She doesn't do small talk. She is never going to be friends with her assistant." Like in the film, one US Vogue intern was famously told to never make eye contact with Wintour or to start a conversation. On one occasion, the terrified girl witnessed Wintour trip on a rug and fall to the floor. To scared to offer help, the intern stepped over her boss and kept on walking. -guardian.co.uk Did a former employee of Anna Wintour really criticize Weisberger for claiming that her book was not based on her time at Vogue? Yes. Former Anna Wintour employee Kate Betts stated in the April 13, 2003 New York Times Book Review that Weisberger and Wintour are the direct counterparts of their fictional characters.

She criticized Weisberger's main character by declaring, "Andrea has an unbecoming superiority complex and is just as much a snob as the snobs she is thrown in with." She went on to write, "[Andrea] makes no bones about the fashion business being beneath her, or that her true calling is not to be fetching tall lattes for Anna/Miranda but to be supplying high-minded prose for The New Yorker." She summed up the book by calling it "bite-the-boss fiction." After working at Vogue for Anna Wintour, Kate Betts held the title of editor-in-chief at rival fashion magazine Harper's Bazaar. Does author Lauren Weisberger believe that she would have gotten published if she hadn't spent a year as Anna Wintour's assistant? When asked this question by Salon.com interviewer Elizabeth Spiers, Lauren responded by saying, "I don't know. I'd like to think so.

I'd like to think that it's a fun story, a light story." However, many book reviewers and film critics have stated that The Devil Wears Prada's "appeal lay in the idea that Miranda was inspired by Wintour." Reviewers cite this true story parallel as being the reason for the book's success despite its lackluster prose and lukewarm reviews. -guardian.co.uk Did Lauren really start writing The Devil Wears Prada book as nonfiction? Weisberger started Prada as a nonfiction endeavor. Yes. The book was born from essays that Lauren wrote for an advanced nonfiction writing class that she took while working as a writer at Departures magazine. "Other people were writing about their marital difficulties and their sex lives, and I just couldn't bring myself to write about anything so intimate," Lauren recalls. "So I thought I'd write about these little anecdotes from the magazine world" (EW.com). The first essay that she submitted was titled "The Devil Wears Prada." As she continued to submit related nonfiction essays, the teacher, Charles Salzberg, convinced her that she should combine them into a book. She called literary agent Deborah Schneider, who told her that the idea was definitely commercial material.

Lauren had three and a half months to turn roughly 100 pages of nonfiction into a novel. -The New York Times Why won't author Lauren Weisberger admit that The Devil Wears Prada novel is based on Vogue and Anna Wintour? Is author Weisberger protecting herself from a potential Vogue lawsuit? Author Lauren Weisberger has been poked and prodded by interviewers who are eager to confirm what so many readers suspect, that the real Miranda Priestly is actually Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. Lauren usually fends off prying gossip hounds with some type of generalized response. "The book is a compilation of so many people's crazy stories," Lauren offered during a Canada.com interview. "My friends all worked for insane people in stints in every industry." Elsewhere she has stated, "It doesn't so closely resemble my own experiences, only in that, yes, one of my jobs out of college was working at a magazine. To a certain extent, you do write what you know" (Salon.com).

During an author Q&A, Lauren told Random House, "A lot of the anecdotes and demands and craziness are products of my imagination, stories I created at four in the morning while chugging coffee and fighting sleep deprivation. But there's reality there, too. ...I imagine that assistants everywhere will recognize some of their own experiences in Andrea's life." Another obvious reason why Weisberger might not want to confirm the Anna Wintour Devil Wears Prada true story is because Weisberger does not paint a very flattering Miranda in her book. Wintour might see this as an attack on her character, which could lead to a lawsuit. Thus, the novel has been dubbed a roman ï¿½ clef, a novel describing real life, behind a faï¿½ade of fiction. Was author Lauren Weisberger really as fashion illiterate as Anne Hathaway's character in the movie? "I desperately wanted to work in magazines," says Lauren.

"My interest wasn't in fashion, but when you get an offer right out of college for a magazine that big -- I decided that it was probably better to start at a big name magazine, even if I wasn't necessarily fascinated with the subject." -Salon.com Did Lauren graduate from Northwestern like Andrea Sachs in the movie? No. Unlike Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) from The Devil Wears Prada movie, author Lauren Weisberger graduated from Cornell University in 1999 with a BA in English (LaurenWeisberger.com). While at Cornell, she was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority (aephi.org). How did author Lauren Weisberger land a job at Vogue? Like Andrea Sachs, Weisberger says she did not fit in. Lauren landed her job as Anna Wintour's assistant by utilizing her own creativity. She mocked up her rï¿½sumï¿½ to look like a magazine. She then submitted it to Condï¿½ Nast Publications and within days she was hired as Ms. Wintour's assistant. -The New York Times Did Lauren find it hard to fit in at Vogue, similar to Anne Hathaway's character in the movie? Yes.

"At Vogue I did feel like an outsider," Lauren said. "It's very much how I feel all the time." She noted that she didn't write The Devil Wears Prada book for the chic Manhattan young women who work, as she once did, in the editing wings of fashion and celebrity magazines. "I know it's ironic in light of the fact that these books have done well." She explained that the book is for the outsiders, who are eager to journey into a seedy and somewhat sinister side of New York City. -The New York Times At age twenty-three, was Lauren Weisberger as well traveled as her Devil Wears Prada character Andrea Sachs? Yes. In the book The Devil Wears Prada, the main character, Andrea Sachs, had visited India, Thailand and Italy, in addition to studying abroad in the United Kingdom and Canada. Similarly, The Devil Wears Prada true story tells us that after college author Lauren Weisberger traveled as a backpacker through Europe, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, India, Nepal, and Hong Kong. After returning home, she moved to Manhattan. -LaurenWeisberger.com Does Lauren have a lot in common with her Devil Wears Prada character Andrea Sachs?

Weisberger identified with Andrea Sachs. "I see a lot of myself in Andrea," Lauren admits, "from her love of writing to her tendency to get so wrapped up in things that she somehow finds it difficult to see the big picture. It was only natural for me to have her grow up in a small town, study English at university, and move to New York after graduation, because that's clearly a familiar path for me. But I think she's a hell of a lot stronger than I could ever be. ... And while, like Andrea, I care very little about high fashion, I of course wouldn't turn down an afternoon of shopping with my friends. I definitely like clothes as much as the next girl, just not to the extent of people who work in the fashion industry" (RandomHouse.com). Both Lauren and her fictional character also share the same religious upbringing. They were both raised in Jewish households. Did Lauren herself aspire to one day write for The New Yorker? No. Unlike the Andrea Sachs character in her book, Lauren never wanted to write for The New Yorker. "I've never said this before," Lauren admits, "but if there was one mistake I made in that book, it was picking The New Yorker as a reference.

It's so obvious and in-your-face, and I never wanted to work there. I wanted to be a travel writer, and have someone pay me to fly to fabulous locations." -Page Six Magazine Did Anna Wintour ever demand an assistant to get her a copy of an unpublished Harry Potter manuscript? No. Unlike The Devil Wears Prada Miranda Priestly character, Wintour never asked an assistant to obtain an unpublished Harry Potter manuscript. "The notion that Anna Wintour would demand her assistant get the unpublished manuscript of the next Harry Potter book for her children within hours, at penalty of being fired, is ludicrous," writes Babara Amiel, a friend of Wintour's. "The notion that Anna would want something done 'now' and not 'shortly' is accurate: Anna wants what she wants right away." -macleans.ca Did Lauren get to wear really cool clothes while working at Vogue? Like Runway in the Weisberger borrow clothes and jewelry. Yes. In the movie, Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) gets to wear some of the designer clothes that are available at the fictional Runway magazine.

Exploring The Devil Wears Prada true story reveals that Lauren Weisberger also got to wear really cool stuff while working at Vogue. "It wasn't a total free-for-all," Lauren says, "but I would say the biggest benefit wouldn't necessarily have been the clothes, or the make-up, all of which was fun! But my personal favorite was the jewelry, there was an entire accessories department and you could borrow things for events and bring them back. The accessories closet was enormous and included all of the jewelry, bags, scarves, the belts - it was just floor to ceiling, which was fun!" (Canada.com) The Runway mockup on the left is provided courtesy of the fashion blog Miss at la Playa , where other similar Runway magazine mockups can be viewed. Was Lauren Weisberger pleased with the movie version of her book? Yes. "I loved the movie," said Lauren. "I'm not supposed to. I learned kind of after the fact that as an author you're not supposed to like the movie version of your book. It's a rule," she said jokingly. "I just loved it. I thought that the screenwriter just nailed it.

I read that script a bunch of times, and I'd wished I had some of those one liners for the book. I thought it was just so funny." -BarnesandNoble.com Have any other movie characters been modeled after Anna Wintour? Depp's Wonka (right) was based on Wintour's look (top). The Incredibles Edna Mode also shares similarities with Anna. Yes. Tim Burton has revealed that Johnny Depp partially based his Willy Wonka look in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Wintour's look. -New York Daily News It has also been suggested that the character of Edna Mode in Pixar's 2004 animated film The Incredibles is based on her. In the movie, the character advises style-conscious superheroes against the wisdom of wearing capes. Despite their similar hairstyles, when asked about The Incredibles character, Wintour responded by saying, "I didn't see it.

Sorry." (guardian.co.uk) Brad Bird, the director of The Incredibles, stated in an interview that the Edna Mode character was based on a variety of different people, including (but not limited to) costume designer Edith Head, author Patricia Highsmith and actress Linda Hunt. Did author Lauren Weisberger have a cameo in The Devil Wears Prada movie? Yes. Weisberger has a very brief non-speaking cameo as the nanny for Miranda Priestly's twins. -The Devil Wears Prada (movie) Is it true that top fashion designers were afraid to appear in the movie? The true story behind The Devil Wears Prada reveals that only one designer, Valentino Garavani, actually appeared as himself in the movie (ReelzChannel). It has been reported that Vogue's Anna Wintour warned major fashion designers to not accept their invitations to make cameo appearances. Yet, no hard evidence of such warnings can be verified. However, the absence of these individuals in the movie may be sufficient evidence in itself. Has Weisberger written any other stories that are closely related to experiences from her life? Weisberger's 2nd novel follows Prada's theme. Yes.

Published in 2005, Lauren's second novel, Everyone Worth Knowing , tells the story of an unglamorous young single woman, who gets caught up in New York City's party circuit as a result of being thrust into a glamorous public relations job. Similar to Prada, the main character must choose between the environment that is corrupting her and the relationships with family and friends that are slowly dissolving because of it. Weisberger often writes from her own experiences. Lauren's collection of short stories published in American Girls About Town draws heavily from experiences in her own life. This is specifically true of her short story "The Bamboo Confessions," which explores the physical and emotional journey of a New York City backpacker, who travels around the world and begins to view her love life back home in a different light. After college, Lauren herself traveled as a backpacker through Europe, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Thailand, India, Nepal, and Hong Kong. Does Lauren care that critics call her books "chick lit"? No. "I don't know why writing literature is seen as a loftier goal than writing books that people really can read on a beach or a plane," Lauren said.

"I love trying to write about the different things I'm actually going through and that my friends are going through." -The New York Times Lauren Weisberger and Anna Wintour Interviews Meet the real life inspirations behind The Devil Wears Prada movie. First, Vogue magazine Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour reacts to the movie and Meryl Streep's portrayal of her counterpart Miranda Priestly. Then, watch author Lauren Weisberger admit to actually being a huge fan of the movie version of her book, a rarity for most authors. Anna Wintour reaction to The Devil Wears Prada | British Vogue Thursday 30 June 2011 ON this day in history... ...2006, Meryl Streep insisted she didn't base her Runway editor character in the The Devil Wears Prada on Anna Wintour , instead saying she was inspired by men she had known previously. "Unfortunately you don't have enough women in power, or at least I don't know them, to copy," she said. "Most of my models for this character were male.

I know the book was based on an assistant's eye view of Anna Wintour, but it didn't interest me to do a documentary of Anna Wintour. I didn't know anything about her and I only met her at the first benefit. She was a good sport about it. She's been told that I don't resemble her." Wintour famously attended the New York premiere and - to show that she indeed was a "good sport" about it - wore Prada. ...2003, Tommy Hilfiger announced that it had settled its three-year-old trademark battle with Goody's Family Clothing for $11 million (almost £6.9 million). The Hong Kong-based US super-label accused Goody's, which was based in Knoxville, Tennessee, of selling counterfeit Hilfiger T-shirts and private label merchandise that carried unauthorised imitation logos and other distinctive details. ...2004, French Connection chairman Stephen Marks sold nine million shares in the company he founded to finance his impending divorce.

Marks announced to the Stock Exchange that he was taking his share in French Connection down from 51 per cent to around 42 per cent, thereby effectively giving up control of his FCUK empire, "to meet personal requirements", amid rumours that his ten-year marriage to former fashion journalist Alisa Green was over. The couple later divorced. Victoria Beckham: Hair Style File By Lisa Niven Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly wasn't inspired by Anna Wintour | 9Style Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly wasn't inspired by Anna Wintour By Eliza Cracknell J G P W Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was rumoured to be the inspiration behind Lauren Weisberger's book The Devil Wears Prada, but when it came to the movie adaption, Meryl Streep didn't look to the high-priestess of fashion to play Runway editor Miranda Priestly. Instead, she revealed to Variety in a recent interview, she had a number of muses including Client Eastwood and veteran model Carmen Dell'Orefice.

"The voice I got from Clint Eastwood," said Streep, explaining that "he never, ever, ever raises his voice and everyone has to lean in to listen, and he is automatically the most powerful person in the room". Director and film icon Clint Eastwood; veteran model Carmen Dell'Orefice For Priestly’s dry humour, Streep claims she "stole [it] from Mike Nichols" adding "the way the cruelest cutting remark, if it is delivered with a tiny self-amused curlicue of irony, is the most effective instruction". Model Carmen Dell'Orefice and head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, were both inspiration for Priestly's appearance. Dell'Orefice for her signature white coif, naturally, and Lagarde for her "unassailable elegance and authority". Streep also revealed she nearly didn't take the job. "There was my 'goodbye moment', and then they doubled the offer. I was 55, and I had just learned, at a very late date, how to deal on my own behalf." Miranda Priestly gets what she wants after all. The Devil Wears Prada celebrates its 10th anniversary this week.

The September Issue Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 20 out of 22 people found the following review useful: This is one heck of a documentary from United States 26 September 2009 I just flat out love this movie. First of all, as a life time journalism fan (even fanatic) there has never been anything like this. This film is a chocolate cake for anyone that wants an inside look at one of the great publishing stories ever. It is also a look at the industry just before the crash. Magazines, and all other print media will never be the same. So the fact that this movie nails an entire industry, is truly amazing. But what's saves this from being a museum piece are the outrageous and fabulous people in the film. You won't believe a cast of chatacters who are NOT actors, but are better. I say---don't miss this. There will never be another film anything like it. Was the above review useful to you? 20 out of 22 people found the following review useful: Interesting Movie, Humanizes Anna Wintour from New York 13 September 2009 I had two great insights into Vogue and the fashion world.

The first, and most important insight is that assuming the Vogue target audience is 25-45, the people who make the most important decisions are well above that age. Anna Wintour must be in her mid 50's, similarly or even older, Grace Coddington, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaulthier, Giorgio Armani, Oscar de la Renta, etc, etc. And what was also relevant about this "discovery" as seen in the movie, is that these people are NOT wearing the ridiculous outfits they are foisting on the public through magazines such as Vogue--which sets the fashion dictates of a season. Anna Wintour wore only the most feminine, attractive, figure flattering, AGE-APPROPRIATE outfits throughout the movie---which are damn hard to find in the stores! (unless, perhaps, one is paying top, top dollar for designer prices which may cater to an older crowd) But the fashion designs that are being interpreted for mainstream America is following the latest trends as written and photographed by Vogue. Secondly, this is a movie that attempts to humanize Anna Wintour, and does so simply by showing that she is an obsessive human being, whose obsession is her magazine.

She does show some warmth with her daughter, but otherwise she is simply driven and clearly makes no attempt to ease the palpable discomfort of others in her presence. She's not evil, nor bitchy, but she does seems to take some pride her in tabla rosa facial expressions--which clearly raises the anxiety level of those submitting work to her. It wouldn't hurt her professionalism to attempt more empathy, but I guess she doesn't see it that way. Overall, it's a very interesting movie and shows the business side of creating the largest fashion magazine in the world, complete with casual references to using Photoshop to enhance an already beautiful woman, or the promotion of fur in fashion due probably to the large amount of furriers who buy advertising. Great eye candy throughout! Was the above review useful to you? 27 out of 36 people found the following review useful: Entertaining - even for non-fashionistas from Ireland 16 July 2009 I saw this documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh. The anticipation was high, and the screening was sold out; I'm happy to report that the audience wasn't disappointed.

This doc details the run up to the printing of the titular September issue of American Vogue magazine, which an estimated one in eight American women purchase annually. The documentary style is fast-paced with out being breakneck, with one of the freshest soundtracks I've had the pleasure of hearing on a cinema sound system. (Ladytron, Ratatat, Cinematic Orchestra, Mark Ronson et al.) It focuses on mostly on the upper echelons of Vogue, namely inscrutable ice queen and inspiration for "The Devil Wears Prada", editor Anna Wintour. Creative director Grace Coddington brings some welcome levity during the more "fashion has no mercy, dahling!" moments. If you enjoyed Ugly Betty, The Devil Wears Prada, America's Next Top Model and Project Runway, you already know that this is right up your street; for everybody else it's a fascinating and occasionally funny study of an inordinately influential individual at the apex of a bizarre and enthralling industry, and those that surround her. Was the above review useful to you?

15 out of 18 people found the following review useful: A Nutshell Review: The September Issue from Singapore 19 September 2009 Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada is rumoured to be inspired by Anna Wintour, the legendary editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine Vogue, and it's not hard to see how so. A cup of Starbucks in hand, the bob hairdo, the cutting remarks, people going into a frenzy whenever her name is mentioned, and worse when dazzled by her presence. Even the vogue office does seem quite similar in terms of layout, and the number of assistants constantly scurrying around looking busy and executing to her every instruction. It's hard not to see why Wintour and Vogue for that matter, became the subjects of a documentary, since both are very powerful in setting the agenda for an entire industry, with what's being said and featured in the magazine, goes. R.J.

Cutler's documentary provided that sneak peek into the behind the scenes working of what's to date the largest single issue of the iconic fashion magazine (it's September 2007 issue), where little interesting nuggets of information get dropped around, such as the distinction and importance of the September issue (hence the title) in trend-setting what's hot and what's possibly not, over the next 12 months. There are always people curious about the glamorous industry, filled with pretty clothes, flamboyant designers, glitzy fashion weeks in trendy capitals of the world, and of course, the beautiful clothes-horse models. It does seem to be this perfect little eco-system filled with perfect people on the surface, though those looking toward this film in digging out some skeletons from the closet will be sorely disappointed. This in part due to the power that Wintour wields, where you see not only new designers in awe, but veterans from the established fashion houses that come with reverence, for possibly fear of offending the almighty, the high priestess or so she's called, in charge of the bible of the industry. But of course one editor a magazine maketh not.

R.J.'s documentary provided a more holistic look at the making of the magazine. And not just any magazine mind you, but THE one brand that has been around for more than a century, and with that comes trust and influence to make or break designers. R.J. was provided unprecedented access into the behind-the- scenes look at the assembling of an issue, and with that comes plenty of photo shoots, jet- setting lifestyles, the pursuit of deadlines, and enough of office politics. The amount of work is just staggering. However, the filmmaker does seem to fall short in eliciting a lot more from Wintour, aside from talking-heads styled short interviews which became the bookends of the film. In fact, it's more of the Creative Director Grace Coddington's show, where you will probably be won over by her sheer genius and eye for creative art form in directing photo shoots and dreaming up storyboards on the fly for the still pictures to tell a story.

I admit I was more impressed with Coddington's story, wry humour and creative style rather than Wntour's cool demeanour, which often sets them up for clashes, for the good of the magazine of course, in constantly raising the bar, though at times it does seem that someone's creative spark do get unappreciated and often doused with cold water. Such is their love-hate professional relationship. Which primes this film with a "villain" so to speak, but of course the boss always has the final say and calls the shots. We do get to see how both of them rose to power (they started off as models!) through their joining Vogue at the same time, and rise through the ranks based on their respective strengths. Filled with countless of fashion celebrities, clothes, accessories and the occasional cutting remark (I do think Wintour seemed to have held back her tongue a lot more since a camera is constantly in her way), The September Issue is a superb look into the sheer intense and immense talent and hard work that goes into the publication of every issue, and would likely induce you to grab a copy of Vogue right after the show.

I'll never look at this magazine in the same frivolous light ever again, as they are really taken seriously given the money made available and someone's career probably on the line too. Was the above review useful to you? 15 out of 18 people found the following review useful: Great Movie About Work from United States 12 September 2009 The most interesting thing about this movie was that it wasn't about fashion. The movie was about work and excellence. Vogue wouldn't be a success without the creativity of Grace Coddington and the business acumen of Anna Wintour. Grace Coddington was a revelation and her ability to tell stories through still images is inspiring. I long suspected that The Devil Wears Prada was a cruel screed against Anna Wintour. I think in this movie we see a more accurate picture of who she is. While not the warmest person in the world, she comes across as incredibly real and she is good at what she does. That must be respected. Was the above review useful to you?

27 out of 43 people found the following review useful: An elegant, dramatic look at the superficiality of fashion from United States 8 September 2009 First, let me tell you that I am a straight man who is not at all interested at fashion. I have never bought a Vogue September issue nor have I ever even bought a fashion magazine. After realizing this movie got great reviews, I decided to see it. The reviews were right and I most certainly was not disappointed. The September Issue is the rare kind of movie that is a combination of documentary with a message and elegance. Many people know about Anna Wintour. If you seen The Devil Wears Prada, you'll know that she is pure evil. Although there may be some truth to this statement, this movie paints her in a different light. The movie opens with her explaining that people who wear high fashion should not be made fun of just because they were haute couture. Wintour is looked at as more of a person with morals who gets what she wants because she often is right and does what is best for the magazine. She doesn't strive to be mean, she does it for the magazine. The star of the movie is not Wintour.

It's actually the creative director, Grace Coddington. Coddington is not nearly as likable as Wintour ironically, but she is central to the movie and the reason it is so good. The movie's message is about how the fashion world is so superficial and perfect. Towards the end, the cameraman for the movie is used in a photograph, however, he is just an average person who is slightly overweight. Coddington urges people not to touch the picture up. She says "Nobody is perfect, but models are." This is the movie's central idea. Another reason I really enjoyed the movie is that it really does have some great film-making. R.J. Cutler really does have some nice shots including my favorite of a couple kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower. It has nothing to do with the movie and yet it is such a moving shot. There are quite a few establishing shots similar to this in the movie and these little things are the icing on the cake. You don't have to be a fashion lover to love this movie. You don't have to be a subscriber to Vogue. You don't have to be a woman. Whatever your preconceptions about this were, ignore them.

This a movie for anybody that should be seen by everybody. The September Issue opens wide this weekend so make use of it and go see it. Was the above review useful to you? 13 out of 18 people found the following review useful: It's a Mystery Story, Really from United States 29 March 2010 It is best to remember that this film is pre-economic breakdown and surely many of the perks are gone. That said, the September issue is really an unfolding mystery story about a woman with little talent who manages to become the editor of the most popular fashion magazine in the world. The documentary is also a war story between two minds, Wintour and Coddington's. Wintour is the general, so she gets to decide and in general, no pun intended, she makes bad decisions. It is impressive that the documentary got made and that Wintour, who must have seen it was OK with the image its portrays of her because, the source of her power, her editorship are nowhere to be found. Wintour behaves like a celebrity because when the veil is drawn, there is not much there.

Her visual sense is tired and the manner in which she makes her decisions, with wimp art director Charlie Churchward, is appalling. It is one of those ongoing ironies that editors get to claim the honors for their magazines, when the real visual artists, in this case, Grace Coddington, have to play second fiddle to people so clearly less talented. The only one to escape this fate was Fabion Barone, who having worked for Harper's Bizaar, actually is seen as the force behind the success of the magazine. The other elephant in the room about this documentary is that no one seems very happy. Anna clearly is depressed about being seen as a lightweight in her family (i.e.,fashion), even her own daughter, while clearly enjoying the riches of her mothers fame, doesn't "get it." Grace and her weathered face tell it all: it is torture to work with his talentless woman called the editor and all the minions run around in fearof what exactly is the real question...which reveals Anna's only real talent and power she has: the ability to fire people. Was the above review useful to you?

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Doesn't dig deep enough from United States 16 July 2010 The September Issue is a superficial look into the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue. Many of the shots consist of various photographers, art directors and members of the editorial staff behaving in a groveling and subservient way around editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The one exception is stylist Grace Coddington, a confident and gifted woman who does superb creative work and isn't afraid to stand up for herself. Her work really is the backbone of the magazine. Once she leaves, Vogue is on a fast ride downhill. Wintour's insights, as she looks at and discusses potential fashion spreads, seem fairly prosaic. She must have gotten the job by game-playing and the usual machinations of the business world. Outside of standing back somewhat and letting Coddington do her work, I don't see what she contributes to the magazine except for making her staff feel compulsively insecure. I enjoyed the few scenes that show her with her twenty-something daughter, who wants to be a lawyer.

She clearly has the ability to "get" to Wintour that no one else in the film does. Good for her. Wintour talks about her father and siblings, but neglects to mention her American mother, an interesting omission. Wintour is a lonely character, in a way. There's a revealing scene of her in the back of a town car clutching a Starbucks coffee and staring straight ahead. She's off in her own world most of the time. As is to be expected, no one on the Vogue staff actually wears the outlandish clothing featured in the magazine. Wintour wears flattering silk dresses, Coddington dresses in various frumpy black outfits and the staff and photographers wear practical work clothes. The exception is Leon Talley, the only member of the staff who truly buys into the fashion myth. Since Wintour reveals so little of herself and the filmmaker is as deferential to her as the rest of her intimidated staff, ultimately "The September Issue" is an elegantly made film with no emotional heart. Was the above review useful to you?

6 out of 8 people found the following review useful: A missed opportunity from Saffron Walden, UK 12 March 2010 The world of fashion is glamorous, absurd, and nowhere more so than at Vogue magazine, where legendary editor Anna Wintour rules with a famously frosty demeanour. 'The September Issue' follows the creation of Vogue's largest ever issue - which sounds as if it should be interesting, but which actually feels like a lost opportunity. There's no analysis of the finances or logic of fashion; no discussion of Vogue's rivals; or any attempt to debunk the myth of Wintour as ice-queen. Maybe this is because the myth is reality; but there's also a strong sense that director R. J. Cutler hasn't tried very hard, that he had his story before he started and was quite happy to shoot it deferentially. Wintour herself provides few real clues in some unrevealing interviews, and while she is plainly tough, she glides through an affluent world apparently insulated from anyone in whose interests it might be to answer her back, so it's a limited sort of toughness.

Certainly Cutler doesn't challenge her; and his film, though watchable, ultimately has very little to say. Was the above review useful to you? 6 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Better suited as a two part on aTV graveyard slot *** This review may contain spoilers *** This review contains spoilers. If you think that this is your chance to see a reality Devil wears Prada, you're mistaken. The hype would have us think that September Issue, is our chance to see why the most powerful women in fashion is where she is: because she is a tough, ball breaking, taking no prisoners Thatcher of fashion. HA!!!! This feels like a three year long promo for Anna Wintour as the best dressed, calmest, ever so slightly distant boss in the world. Not just because they never show her dumping all over her assistants, or smirking at the little people, which really would be delivering the hype, but there are none of that species actually in the whole painful saga. Instead it's A.W walking about with her rigormortis bob, and an almost insipid smile on her face. At the most, there is a little boredom and sarcasm, in her coiffed eyes.

Septeber Issue is just a big boring journey around her office, some photo shoots, and a meeting with the rather interesting and clever thatch headed gingernut, Grace Goddington. But I have seen more tension and excitement in an elastic band. I can't even be bothered to carry on, i was literally sweating with ADD an hour before the merciful credits roll. I WAS JUST NOT THAT INTO IT. Oh, and it's not even Anna Wintour who says mean things about Sienna Miller. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 4: Anna Wintour - Biography - IMDb Anna Wintour Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (2) | Trade Mark (2) | Trivia (19) Overview (3) 5' 1" (1.55 m) Mini Bio (1) Anna Wintour was born in Hampstead, London, England, the daughter of an American mother, Eleanor Trego (Baker), and an English father, Charles Wintour , former Editor of the Evening Standard. She is from an upper-class family, with many prominent ancestors.

She started her career in 1970, working in the fashion department at Harpers & Queen in London. Six years later, she joined its sister New York publication Harper's Bazaar as its Fashion Editor. After a stint as Senior Editor at New York magazine, controlling the title's fashion and lifestyle coverage, Wintour was named Creative Director of American Vogue in 1983. British Vogue hired her back as Editor in Chief for two years. In 1988, she rejoined American Vogue as Editor-in-Chief and in that capacity, has helped raise over $10 million for AIDS charities since 1990. Like her image, Wintour's daily regime is legendary. Now based in Manhattan, she wakes up at 5:45am every morning, plays tennis for an hour before being professionally made-up, coiffed and chauffeured to the offices of American Vogue. Though one of New York's most prolific party throwers, she never stays at any one event for more than the first ten minutes, preferring to be in bed by 10pm.

Wintour has held the position of Editor-in-Chief of Vogue since July 1988, and was named Artistic Director of Condé Nast in March 2013. In addition to editing Vogue, Wintour executed the development and successful launch of Teen Vogue in 2001, and serves as Editorial Director for the title. Wintour's career has included positions at Harpers & Queen, Harper's Bazaar, New York Magazine, HG, and British Vogue. During her tenure at Vogue, Wintour has been actively involved in philanthropic fundraising, particularly for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, for which she has raised more than $100 million. She has been the recipient of numerous awards for her leadership and charitable efforts, including the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Lifetime Achievement Award and the Award of Courage for AIDS Research from the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR). In 2008, Wintour was appointed to the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her service to British journalism and fashion.

In October 2009, President Obama appointed Wintour to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Most recently, in 2011 she was awarded the Legion d'Honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Wintour also serves as an Elective Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous Spouse (2) Her hairstyle: a Louise Brooks bob Chanel sunglasses Trivia (19) Has two children with David Shaffer, Charles "Charlie" (b. 1987) and Katherine "Bee" (b. 1989). Has often been the target of various animal rights organizations such as P.E.T.A. due to her use of fur in "Vogue". Reportedly warned major fashion designers that they would be banished from "Vogue"'s pages if they make cameo appearances on The Devil Wears Prada (2006) because the character of "Miranda Priestly", played by Meryl Streep , is believed to be based on her.

Her former assistant Lauren Weisberger (1999-2000) wrote the book "The Devil Wears Prada", which was a thinly veiled account of the hellish life of a fashion magazine editor's assistant and is based upon Weisberger's own experiences. The main character Miranda Priestly is supposedly based upon Wintour. The book was eventually made into the movie The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Editor-in-chief of American "Vogue" since 1988. Showed a good sense of humor when she attended the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada (2006) wearing Prada. Has raised over $ 10 million dollar for AIDS charities since 1990. She was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honors List for her services to British journalism and British fashion in the USA. Is a good friend of Roger Federer and she attended some of his matches at the US Open. Counts his Wimbledon 2009 final victory over Andy Roddick as her all-time favorite match.

Mother of producer Bee Shaffer from her marriage to child psychiatrist David Shaffer . In the 1970s, Anna worked as a fashion editor for Penthouse Magazine publisher Bob Guccione 's erotic publication, "VIVA - International Magazine for Women". Is a big fan of Game of Thrones (2011), even finding the costume design to be particularly appealing. Is a teetotaler. Meryl Streep Reveals Her Surprising ‘Devil Wears Prada’ Inspirations EMAIL 20 Century Fox The Devil Wears Prada is best known for Meryl Streep’s scary turn as Miranda Priestly, a fashion magazine editor widely believed to be a spoof on Vogue editor Anna Wintour . But it turns out, however, that Streep didn’t base the character off of Wintour at all. She actually modeled the character off of two formidable men: Clint Eastwood and Mike Nichols. Streep spoke to Variety about the seminal film for the 10th anniversary of its release . She revealed that she cribbed Miranda Priestly’s mannerisms from both Eastwood and Nichols: “The voice I got from Clint Eastwood,” Streep says.

“He never, ever, ever raises his voice and everyone has to lean in to listen, and he is automatically the most powerful person in the room. But he is not funny. That I stole from Mike Nichols. The way the cruelest cutting remark, if it is delivered with a tiny self-amused curlicue of irony, is the most effective instruction, the most memorable correction, because everyone laughs, even the target. The walk, I’m afraid, is mine.” That explains the brilliance of Streep’s performance as Priestly. Take the non-obvious cues from two exceedingly talented and formidable men, both of whom she has worked with. As a result, Miranda Priestly commands fear and authority, but in a way you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Plus, it takes the heat off of poor Anna Wintour. Who else is staying home tonight to watch The Devil Wears Prada again? The Devil Wears Prada: by Meryl Streep (DVD): Booksamillion.com: Movies The Devil Wears Prada - Meryl Streep Overview - A drastic improvement on Lauren Weisbergers bestselling novel, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA showcases Meryl Streep's knack for combining humor and sadness.

While likely inspired by notorious VOGUE editor Anna Wintour, Streep's Miranda Priestly (head of Runway magazine) is entirely her own creation. Read more... FREE Shipping for Club Members More About The Devil Wears Prada - Meryl Streep Overview A drastic improvement on Lauren Weisbergers bestselling novel, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA showcases Meryl Streep's knack for combining humor and sadness. While likely inspired by notorious VOGUE editor Anna Wintour, Streep's Miranda Priestly (head of Runway magazine) is entirely her own creation. Sporting silvery hair, a vast collection of fur coats, an encyclopedic knowledge of all things fashionable, and a killer smile, Miranda is full of wicked charm. With her mature beauty and commanding presence, Miranda is as fascinating to watch as she is intimidating to the constant rotation of assistants thrown her way. When bookish Northwestern grad Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) interviews to become Miranda's newest lackey, Miranda hires her not for her lackluster wardrobe but for her intellect.

Inside the pristine Runway offices, Andy suffers through a never-ending list of impossible tasks, and is the subject of constant harassment by Miranda's jealous first assistant (Emily Blunt). But to the dismay of her boyfriend (Adrian Grenier) and close friends, Andy slowly finds herself seduced by the glamorous world of fashion, and by Miranda herself. While Andy's transformation comes largely in the form of new designer clothing, the makeover is mental as well. What starts out as a firm belief in fashion's vapidity and in Miranda's heartlessness gradually fades into the suspicion that the boss from hell might just be hiding a soul. While the book villainized its title character, the film gives new depths to her wrath. As Andy trades her undergrad wardrobe for one packed with Prada and Chanel (with help from Stanley Tucci in a brilliant role), viewers are able to savor the work of costume designer Patricia Field. Together with director David Frankel (who also worked on SEX AND THE CITY), Field creates a world of fashion so wonderfully extreme it would be hard for anyone to resist.

Cast List Meryl Streep is the Queen of Mean in The Devil Wears Prada Meryl Streep is the Queen of Mean in The Devil Wears Prada Julian Roman | 11 months ago " The actress plays the boss from hell and relishes it Meryl Streep delights as the bitchy boss from hell, Miranda Priestley, in the film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada . Meryl eats up the screen as the cutthroat fashion editor obsessed with perfection and terrorizing underlings. Meryl is anything but the sort in person. She is convivial and charming, much more relaxed and outgoing then you would think. This was the second round of interviews with Meryl in a month. She was also front and center promoting A Prairie Home Companion a few weeks ago. Your interpretation of Miranda is a lot less harsh. Why change her from the book? Did you want to portray her as more human? Meryl Streep: She wasn't some things that a lot of people think she is. I was just interested in making a human being as contradictory and messy as we all are.

I think she is an exacting, highly disciplined, demanding, ambitious person who doesn't necessarily take the time for all the nice social lubricants that help make the work place grateful and fun. She's not as good at it as many women are. I think there is a kind of career path that demands a certain thing that not everybody wants to give. People have to make their own decisions about their lives. From Miranda's point of view, she wants to excel on every level and it's really hard. The character in the book is modeled after Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Did you also model your character from her? Meryl Streep: Most of my models for this character were of the male end of the species. Unfortunately, we don't have enough women in power, or I don't know them to copy. Compared to the people that I know, Miranda is so well behaved. She's almost like a diplomat compared to some people who are very, very powerful in our business. I know the book was based on an assistant's view of Anna Winter, but it didn't interest me to do a documentary on Anna Wintour and I don't know anything about her.

I only met her at the first benefit auction screening and she came to it and we were introduced at the very beginning. She's been a good sport about it. I think she's been told that I don't resemble her. It's much more fun to make the uber boss out of my own pastiche of experience. Is there anything we can learn from Miranda? Meryl Streep: I don't know. It's not instructional, this movie. How did the clothes help define Miranda and in general, how do you use costumes to inform your character? Meryl Streep: I'm a notorious pain-in-the-butt for any costume designer because I have so many opinions. I feel very strongly that we make decisions about what we're giving to the world, what we're withholding from the world, by virtue of what we put on our bodies. For me, clothes are kind of a character. They're more interesting in those terms. I don't follow fashion or understand the trends, but I understand more about marketing than I ever did after doing this movie. The clothes that I wear, this achievement is Pat Field [the costume designer], that she put this movie together because she had no money.

I've used the analogy before so I'm not going to think too hard to make another one up. They made a movie about aerospace and they decided to make it in a garage in Paramus. These clothes cost so much money. One of the handbags is $12,000. It's almost inconceivable to me. There were many, many bags that were that expensive. So, a $4000 bag seems like a bargain and you readjust your whole way of thinking. It's just insane. Pat had to make it by relying on her many good relationships with designers and talk them into loaning us stuff and went to archival things. That's another word for "used." People were very, very generous in the fashion business. We just had a volume of stuff we needed to achieve. We had three weeks to put it together. I had sixty some costumes and each one of them had to be coordinated with the shoes, the belt, the earrings, the jacket and everything perfectly tailored. It was really very laborious for me but that was because it was all condensed into one space of time.

With the fashion industry already projecting a negative self-image to young girls and women, did lines like "6 is the new 14" affect you at all? Meryl Streep: I think about them everyday. I have three daughters and it affected me as a teenager, so I had my little ideas about all this stuff. I think it's highly destructive. Is there an answer or is it going to keep going? Meryl Streep: I don't know the answer. People want what they want. Sometimes you just have to walk in defiance of it and just be yourself. Would you say this is a feminist film? Meryl Streep: Well, there's a way to kill the box-office. (laughs) Did you give any acting advice to Anne Hathaway? What was it like working with her? Meryl Streep: I didn't give her any advice. Interestingly, young people don't come to you for advice. Especially the ones who are related to you! (laughs) She's just a delicious talent. I think she can delight us for years and years in lots and lots of different things.

Her beauty is so stunning in this movie that when we're all watching the dailies, we were all like (gasps) because it is amazing. It's a burden sometimes for actresses to work around that because it so precedes her, but her own personality is so appealing and fresh and open and warm. I think she can have a unique career. 'The Devil Wears Prada' Celebrates 10 Years: 7 Little-Known Facts About the Iconic Movie 'The Devil Wears Prada' Celebrates 10 Years: 7 Little-Known Facts About the Iconic Movie by Raphael Chestang 5:01 PM PDT, June 24, 2016 Playing 'The Devil Wears Prada' Celebrates 10 Years: 7 Little-Known Facts About the Iconic Movie This month marks 10 years since Meryl Streep perfected the art of shade and ran a clinic on how to slay through her portrayal of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, and ET is looking back at our time with the cast. Every actor on set knew they were a part of something special while shooting the movie, but no one could have predicted how influential it would become.

WATCH: Ludacris' Favorite Movie Is 'The Devil Wears Prada' While it remains just as iconic today as it was in 2006, there are still some things about the making of the film that many fans are unaware of. Read on for seven Devil Wears Prada facts you probably didn't know. 1. Streep maintained her cold demeanor towards Anne Hathaway off screen. The veteran actress kept her distance from her co-star in order to keep things more real on screen. "She pulled me aside at the beginning of the film and said, 'Listen, I just want to say, I think you're perfect. I'm so excited that we're going to be working together, but that's the last nice thing I'm going to say to you.' And it was!" Hathaway told ET in 2006. 2. Streep almost backed out during negotiations. The three-time Oscar winner was ready to walk because of what she thought was a low offer. Producers doubled her salary on the spot. 3. Hathaway wasn't the first choice to play Andy Sachs. Rachel McAdams turned down the role, leaving the door open for Hathaway to swoop in.

At the time, McAdams reportedly wanted to do more independent films. PICS: Favorite TV, Movie and Music Cast Reunions 4. Streep was the only choice to play Miranda. The studio never had a second choice for the role. 5. The character, Emily, wasn't intended to be British. The choice to give the character a British accent was a creative move by Emily Blunt, which director David Frankel loved. 6. Stanley Tucci joined the cast just days before shooting. The Golden Globe winner signed on just 72 hours before his first day on set. NEWS: 9 Ways to Go Behind the Scenes of Anna Wintour's World 7. Streep did not base Miranda on Anna Wintour. Despite the fact that Lauren Weisberger, the author of the 2003 book on which the movie is based, was a one-time assistant for the Vogue editor-in-chief, Streep says her performance did not take from her. In an interview with Variety , Streep said her performance was mainly influenced by directors she has worked with. "The voice I got from Clint Eastwood," she said.

"He never, ever, ever raises his voice and everyone has to lean in to listen, and he is automatically the most powerful person in the room. But he is not funny. That I stole from Mike Nichols. The way the cruelest cutting remark, if it is delivered with a tiny self-amused curlicue of irony, is the most effective instruction, the most memorable correction, because everyone laughs, even the target." Meryl Streep on ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ 10 Years Later | IndieWire Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” Fox 2000 Ten years ago, “ The Devil Wears Prada ” surprised even the people that made it. The movie opened over the July 4th weekend in 2006 as a counter-programmer aimed primarily at women. But it played far broader than that, all over the world. Based on the bestseller written by Lauren Weisberger, the ex-Vogue assistant to editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, it was an anomaly that influenced movies to come but remained a rare bird, hard to categorize or imitate.

It wasn’t a standard-issue studio genre, neither a romantic comedy centered around a young woman’s choice of mate, a biopic, nor a revenge plot. Aspiring young assistant Andy (Anne Hathaway) and her powerful editrix boss Miranda ( Meryl Streep ) were dual protagonists in a coming-of-age workplace fairy tale about the trials of a first job and finding your identity. The other players behind the $41-million film, which shot over 57 days in New York and Paris between October and December 2005, included Fox co-chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman (now at Sony), Fox 2000 executive Carla Hacken, and producers Wendy Finerman and Karen Rosenfelt. The movie elevated the careers of Fox 2000 chief Elizabeth Gabler, screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, director David Frankel, and star Meryl Streep (who held out for double her asking price)—whom IndieWire interviewed for this oral history—along with co-stars Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier and Stanley Tucci. This soup to nuts play-by-play provides a rare glimpse at what Hollywood sometimes does right, and how hard it is to get there.

Elizabeth Gabler and Carla Hacken at “The Devil Wears Prada” New York premiere Photo by Marion Curtis/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock Development Elizabeth Gabler: We bought it as a partial manuscript, 50 pages with an outline, as Lauren Weisberger was writing the book. The idea was so strong, the concept so clear and so enticing, that we thought we would be able to figure out a movie from it no matter what the eventual manuscript turned out to be. The novel was a delightful fun summer read, a bestseller. The first writer that we hired, Peter Hedges, wrote a pretty solid first draft, but he felt like he was overwhelmed by the project and he didn’t want to continue. Howard Gould came in and did a pass on it. Paul Rudnick was only available for two weeks, but we said, “Don’t worry, just work on the Miranda dialogue.” Don Roos did a rewrite. David Frankel: I’d heard of the book but never read it.

I got the screenplay first —I was intrigued by the fashion world I had been taken with years before when I saw Isaac Mizrahi’s movie “Unzipped.” So I believed a movie set in the world could be really entertaining. So they set a meeting to talk to the producer Wendy Finerman on the phone. I read the book quickly, then reread the script right before the call. I panicked. I didn’t like the script at all, it was satirical, so as a result it was unemotional. It was a mean revenge story. I rooted for no one. It wasn’t a fun angle into the world. There wasn’t one real scene in the movie. Four very talented writers had been working for a couple of years adapting it. Having read the book there were moments of more honesty and emotion in some of the scenes which their movie turned into campy satire. So I bailed on the call with Wendy and abandoned the meeting. Ten days later my manager Rosalie Swedlin called.

“Did you like the script?” “No.” “This is what directors do, find a germ, a nugget of something that appeals to you the first time through, then your job is to shape it into the movie you love.” This was the first time anyone explained that to me. I kept getting these scripts where I was scratching my head and saying, “Why are they making this?” So I talked to Wendy about how I didn’t like anything in the script. I had some cred from directing “Sex and the City” and the pilot of “Entourage.” So Wendy took down my thoughts, and sent a memo to Fox. I flew out and met Elizabeth and Carla Hacken. I prepared a detailed vision statement, which I’d never done before. The movie was about the style, tone and look, but the key thing was the movie was about the nature of excellence and the sacrifices that have to be made. I was a fan of Anna Wintour and Vogue magazine. For me the approach to developing the movie properly was to make Miranda Priestley the heroine, someone to be celebrated sympathetically rather than someone to be reviled.

In my view of the world, we should be thrilled to have the people who are excellent at what they do, superior at their jobs. The fact that they are not always nice is irrelevant. Elizabeth Gabler: We all knew that we didn’t have a movie yet. So we went on this quest to find a writer and at the time Aline Brosh McKenna was barely known. And so she came in, very passionate with her great energy, and really connected with David. All of us liked her and thought she was smart and had a lot of good ideas and a great sense of humor and loved her writing. And she was dedicated to it. It wasn’t, “Oh, I can give you guys a month.” That was what we were coming up with, especially once you start getting down the line on your third writer. They’re not going to be really committed to it when there are those other big-time writers, the people that have a lot of jobs and a lot of credits. So we took the shot with Aline.

David Frankel at “The Devil Wears Prada” photocall at the Venice Film Festival Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock David Frankel: Aline struck me as ideal — she identified with Andy the assistant, had a work ethic I admired, a great sense of humor and a real passion for the craft of screenwriting. We connected. The ambition in her reminded me of Andy, someone who would run through walls. Aline Brosh McKenna: David was a laconic guy. We were both feeling the tone needed to be straighter than they had tried on four previous scripts. I didn’t read all of them until later, and read the book obviously, but it needed a do-over. David and I had the same idea, taking the world and Miranda Priestly seriously, not trying to spoof the thing, treating the multinational magazine with importance, and the person who runs it who wields tremendous influence. I felt a strong connection to the character of Andy, I had been that young woman who moved to New York and tried to make her way. I tried to make it in journalism and failed, I had cowritten an article for Glamour that got killed.

David Frankel: We worked closely for a year to draft the script, spent countless hours on the phone. I was mostly in Miami, she was in LA, sometimes I flew out to her office over at the Muppets Henson lot on LaBrea. She had note cards and the outline. I was the normal director/thinker, she was the writer furiously hunched over computer. That said, she has a collection of continuous emails back in forth, hundreds of pages, as we were trading notes and forming scenes and new takes on characters and rearranging stuff. I remember I spent hours in the back yard chatting with Aline, cleaning up my dog’s poop. Aline Brosh McKenna: It’s rare to get the opportunity to write a big Hollywood movie with women protagonists in a professional setting, where the love story is not the thrust of it. Gabler was clear about that. She never pushed me to write a more conventional love story, which I really appreciated. There is a love triangle, which more served as a moral referendum on what sort of person she’s going to be, is it this boy or that boy? It was very liberating, after the romance I had been working on.

I felt I was allowed to do what the movie wanted to be, a Faust story, a “Wall Street” for ladies, and not worry about giving her a romantic happy ending, because the studio and David set up the pattern for me that it was OK to write something where the love story was not the whole thrust of the movie. Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna Elizabeth Gabler: Getting that third act narrative was one of the biggest challenges of my job ever. We had all these plot points that were carryovers from the book. So there were external reasons for Andy to make a decision whether she wanted to keep her job, because Miranda’s threat was, “If you leave, you don’t have your job anymore.” Servicing those subplots was crippling. And it was liberating to finally say, “Let’s not make it about that. Let’s make it about her decision.” There was not a good clear arc for either of the main characters, especially Miranda. We needed to invent elements in the third act of the movie, which were not in the book. Threads needed to be brought out — we needed to understand Miranda’s role as mother, not foisting her kids on the assistant all the time.

She had responsibility, too, because she was a fashion icon, the high priestess at the bible of fashion. She had a specific image she needed to maintain:, all the clothes, and forward-thinking fashion sense, a social persona, all these dimensions of her character were important to bring out. She maintains a public personality, but we see for a brief second when her husband is leaving her, she loses her guard, then it’s back in place. We knew we had to give her the opportunity to give those moments to the audience. Most people thought of it as a romantic comedy. It wasn’t about that at all. It was about Andy’s relationship with her boyfriend falling apart, her job became more important than her relationship. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be with the person she was becoming. Her character was more about finding herself and identifying her dreams. It all became much more organic to their characters. That was our saving grace with the movie, that it was so relatable.

Question: In what movie did Meryl Streep play a character inspired by Vogue editor Anna Wintour?
Answer: The Devil Wears Prada