Image adapted from Pixabay
Just weeks after the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, some of the film’s most memorable costumes have already begun a new chapter.
From 1 to 15 September, Christie’s will host an online auction featuring costumes and accessories worn in the film. Alongside it, an invitation-only charity auction will take place on 10 September during New York Fashion Week. Ahead of both events, the public will be able to view the pieces free of charge at Christie’s headquarters in Rockefeller Plaza between 8 and 13 September.
The auction was organised with the support of Meryl Streep, echoing a similar initiative held after the release of the original film.
The proceeds will benefit two organisations:
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the international organisation dedicated to defending press freedom.
- Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which supports and promotes the American fashion industry.
Among the confirmed lots are:
- Miranda Priestly’s iconic fringed jacket by Dries Van Noten;
- Andy Sachs’ patchwork dress by Gabriela Hearst, worn at the Hamptons party — complete with the food stains from the scene;
- Miranda’s Schiaparelli blazer;
- Emily’s Elsa Peretti Bone Cuff by Tiffany & Co.;
- a prototype of the Valentino Rockstud;
- as well as costumes worn by Lady Gaga, Simone Ashley, Stanley Tucci and other members of the cast.
What makes this auction remarkable is not simply the opportunity to acquire a costume from a major film.
It is a reflection of how fashion no longer exists solely on the runway.
Today, a costume can move across different worlds: it begins as the creation of a maison, acquires meaning within a cinematic narrative, and ultimately becomes a collector’s piece.
In that journey, its value no longer lies solely in the fabric, the label or the designer’s signature.
It lies in the story it carries.
Andy Sachs’ dress, for example, is not being sold despite the food stains. It is being sold because of them.
What would diminish a garment’s value in a retail setting becomes part of its authenticity in the world of culture and collecting. It is a logic similar to that of the art market.
An object is valued not only for what it is, but for the context, memory and narrative it embodies. Once again, fashion reminds us that true luxury is no longer defined simply by owning something rare. It is about owning a story that can never be replicated.
When a film costume leaves the wardrobe department to enter an auction house, are we talking about fashion… or cultural heritage?
