When The Devil Wears Prada’s Andy Sachs took a job as assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of the (fictional though derivative) magazine Runway, no doubt thousands of fashion hopefuls were put off the industry altogether.
Since the New York newcomer made her foray into the fashion world back in 2006, the film has long served as both a warning and a plug for the realities of working in the fashion industry.
With no prior fashion experience, Andy (Anne Hathaway) is quite literally thrown into the deep end when her boss, Miranda, (Meryl Streep) sends her strict but always vague instructions, like, “I need 10 or 15 skirts from Calvin Klein…”, quickly followed by soul-destroying quips like, “You have no style or sense of fashion,” and “Please, bore someone else with your questions.”
Wondering why a film like this would make anyone dream of having Andy’s job? Well, when she eventually gets the hang of things, Andy is gifted an obscene amount of couture clothes (who could forget the iconic makeover montage), whisked away on a trip to Paris, and privy to a lot of close encounters with fashion’s elite.
It’s widely believed (though has never actually been confirmed) that Runway’s editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) was created around Vogue’s real-life Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, thanks to similarities like their signature elusive gaze, and a penchant for sunglasses.
Now, fashion hopefuls could really have a chance to emulate Andy’s career, with Condé Nast advertising for the role in real-life.
Although this role is actually real, some of the responsibilities listed in the ad look like they could have been plucked from The Devil Wears Prada itself, with the successful candidate requiring “emotional intelligence” and an ability to “anticipate problems”.
The right candidate should also have a college degree, internship experience, “a can-do attitude balanced by humility” and experience working across multiple countries.
In other words, fashion newbies like Andy Sachs who interview for the job as a last resort need not apply.
But if you think you’d slay running around New York city on the hunt for scarves, or searching for an unreleased Harry Potter manuscript, now’s your chance.
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