Wintour & streep: a glossy elevator encounter you won't believe
The Fashion world held its breath—or at least, offered a polite, intrigued exhale—as Anna Wintour and Meryl Streep shared a surprisingly coy moment in a newly released video. The premise? A sleek, white elevator encounter that hints at a playful, decades-spanning tension between the real and imagined titans of style.
The 'devil wears prada' echoes and a curious recognition
The video, directed by Nina Ljeti, draws directly from the fictional rivalry seeded in the pages of Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel, The Devil Wears Prada. Within its narrative, Miranda Priestly (Streep’s iconic portrayal) and Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, are positioned as adversaries—a dynamic fueled by Andy Sachs’s (Anne Hathaway) attempts to navigate the treacherous waters of high Fashion. But the actual meeting, captured in crisp, modern visuals, is far more nuanced than the antagonistic suggestion of the book.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Streep’s Priestly asks, a flicker of amusement playing around her lips. Wintour’s response, “You do look… familiar,” encapsulates the subtle awkwardness and underlying familiarity that comes with decades spent orbiting the same rarefied circles. The camera lingers, prompting speculation about a shared past—a fleeting encounter at the Grand Palais? A brush with greatness at the Oscars? Perhaps even a (quickly dismissed by Priestly with a “Deffffinitely not”) sighting at the Met Gala.
What truly elevates the video beyond a simple recreation is the palpable sense of mutual respect—and perhaps a touch of playful bewilderment—between the two women. The meticulously curated wardrobes—Streep in a tailored Givenchy suit, sunglasses, Prada shoes and bag, versus Wintour’s Chanel dress, Alexander McQueen coat, Manolo Blahnik boots, and S.J. Phillips jewelry—speak volumes about their individual power and style. The attention to detail is staggering, from the precise tailoring by Bill Bull to the masterful hairstyling by Bobby Michael and Melissa Silver.
The video's production credits read like a who’s who of Fashion’s creative elite, underscoring the significance of this seemingly fleeting encounter. Grace Coddington’s Fashion expertise, Jeremy Derbyshire-Myles’ production design, and the editing prowess of Katie Wolford all contribute to the polished final product.
But beyond the high Fashion and clever references, the video subtly explores the enduring power of image and the often-unseen connections that bind the creative world. It's not about rivalry; it’s about two women who, despite their different roles—one fictional, one very real—have shaped the landscape of style and culture for generations.