110 Best Quotes From The Devil Wears Prada

Can you believe it’s been nearly two decades since we first met the formidable Miranda Priestly, the quietly evolving Andy Sachs, and the unforgettable, cheese cube-fuelled Emily Charlton in The Devil Wears Prada?

This film has endured not just for its fashion, but as a masterclass in identity, authority, ambition, and the cost of excellence. For me, it has never lost its grip. I loved the film so much that I even went to see the stage adaptation in London last year with my sister and daughters. It was incredible to see these iconic characters brought to life anew.

From the now-legendary cerulean sweater speech to Miranda’s icy precision, every line is a lesson in workplace psychology, influence, and self-knowledge. Whether you’re navigating office politics, redefining your worth, or stepping into a high-pressure industry, this isn’t just entertainment; it’s a playbook. One you return to for wardrobe inspiration, confidence, or insight into the subtle dynamics of power.

And now, with The Devil Wears Prada Part 2 hitting cinemas on 1st May 2026, it’s the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and nostalgically revisit both the original film and the magic of the stage.

Because at this heart, The Devil Wears Prada isn’t really about clothes. It’s about who belong, who‘ left behind, and what you’re willing to trade to rise.

Miranda Priestly: The Discipline of Power

Miranda reminds us that excellence is non-negotiable and “dead weight” is never tolerated. Her management style is a chilling study in precision.

That’s all.”



“I asked for clean, athletic, smiling. She sent me dirty, tired and paunchy.”



“Details of your incompetence do not interest me.”



“Am I reaching for the stars here? Not really.”



“So, you don’t read Runway?”

“By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.”



“And you have no style or sense of fashion?… No, no. That wasn’t a question.”

“I need 10 or 15 skirts from Calvin Klein… Please bore someone else with your questions.”



“Please, It’s just.. I don’t know.. drizzling (thunderclap). Someone must be getting out. Call Donatella. Get her jet. Call everybody else that we know that has a jet, Irv?”



“I just love my job.”

“Is there some reason that my coffee isn’t here? Has she died or something?”



“The truth is, there is no one who can do what I do.”

“Find me that piece of paper I had in my hand yesterday morning.”

“Perfect. Thank God somebody came to work today.”



“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.”



“You’re very fetching, so go fetch.”



“I don’t really care what anybody writes about me.”



“That look tells me everything I need to know.”



“Do you know why I hired you? I always hire the same girl: stylish, slender, of course, worships the magazine. But so often, they turn out to be, I don’t know – disappointing, and, um…stupid. So you, with that impressive resume and the big speech about your so-called work ethic, I, um, thought you would be different.”



“I said to myself, go ahead. Take a chance. Hire the smart, fat girl. I had hope. My God. I live on it. Anyway, you ended up disappointing me more than any of the other silly girls… That’s all.”



“Runway… share many things in common, chief among them, a commitment to excellence.”



“You thought I didn’t know. I’ve known what was happening for quite some time.”



“… Especially because of the list. The list of designers, photographers, editors, writers, models, all of whom were found by me, nurtured by me, and have promised me they will follow me whenever, and if ever I choose to leave Runway. So, he reconsidered.”



“I was very, very impressed by how intently you tried to warn me.”



“Andrea, I see a great deal of myself in you. You can see beyond what people want and what they need, and you can choose for yourself.”



“You already did… To Emily… Oh no, you chose. You chose to get ahead. You want this life, those choices are necessary.”



“People think that success just happens to you. It doesn’t. You want this life, the decision is yours.”



“Don’t be ridiculous, Andrea. Everybody wants this. Everybody wants to be us.”

Miranda’s words are often sharp, surgical, and intentional – “That’s all,” “Details of your incompetence do not interest me,” – each line reinforcing a world where excellence is expected, not praised. She leads with precision over emotion, where standards are high, time is scarce, and mediocrity has no place. Yes, she is ruthless; often cutting, sometimes cruel, but never unclear.

And yet, beneath the ice is a code.

Miranda doesn’t tolerate weakness, but she respects strength. When Andy Sachs chooses to walk away, Miranda doesn’t punish her; she honours the decision and ensures she lands on her feet. That moment reveals the truth: Miranda may be harsh, but she is not small. She recognizes courage, even when it rejects her world.

Her lesson is uncompromising: success demands choice, and power respects those who make it.

Andy Sachs: Becoming, Without Losing Yourself

Andy’s journey captures her evolution from an observer to a strategic thinker who notices the details that truly matter; transforming from autopilot to agency.

You’re right. I don’t fit in here. I am not skinny or glamorous, and I don’t know that much about fashion. But I’m smart. I learn fast and I will work very hard.”
 


“I’d like to propose a toast. To jobs that pay the rent.”



“You should see the way these girls at Runway dress. I don’t have a thing to wear to work.”



“Ok. Can you please spell Gabbana?”



“Okay, You think my clothes are hideous. I get it. But, you know, I’m not going to be in fashion forever, so I don’t see the point of changing everything about myself just because I have this job.”



“You know, it’s just that both those belts look exactly the same to me. You know, I’m still learning about this stuff, and, uh..”



“She is not happy unless everyone around her is panicked, nauseous or suicidal.”



“And the Clackers just worship her… They call them the Clackers. The sound that their stilettos make in the marble lobby. It’s like, Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack.”

“So, you want to start grilling me now, or should we wait till after dinner?”



“Being Miranda’s assistant opens alot of doors.”



“If I do something right, its unacknowledged. She doesn’t even say thank you. But if I do something wrong, she is vicious.”



“So I’m screwing it up. I don’t want to be one of those people who just whines.”



“I’m still the same person I was. I still want the same things. I promise. Same Andy, better clothes.”



“This is Miranda Priestly we’re talking about. There is no Plan “B”. There’s only Plan “A”.”



“Yeah. But the thing is there is more to Runway than just fancy purses… Even an interview with Christiane Amanpour.”



“Oh no, I made two copies.. and I had them covered, reset and bound so that they wouldn’t look like manuscripts. This is an extra copy to have on file. You know, just in case.”

“My personal life is hanging by a thread, that’s all.”

“You know, I figured out a few things on my own too. Turns out, I’m not as nice as you thought.”



“I kept trying to leave, but there was a lot going on. And, you know, I didn’t have a choice.”



“I can’t imagine Runway without you.”

“Okay, she’s tough, but if Miranda were a man, no one would notice anything about her, except how great she is at her job.”



“Miranda will be devastated. Her whole life is about Runway. He can’t do that to her… And she has no idea?”



“I’m not your baby.”



“I don’t think I’m like that. I couldn’t do what you did to Nigel, Miranda. I couldn’t do something like that.”



“But what if.. this isn’t what I want? … I mean, what if I don’t want to live the way you live?”



“I wanted to say that you were right about everything. That I turned my back on my friends and my family and everything I believed in, and for what?… Nate I’m sorry.”

Andy begins grounded and self-aware: “I’m smart. I learn fast. I will work very hard.” She gradually trys to earn her place in Runway without pretending to belong. But as the stakes rise, so does the shift.

She adapts. She excels. But success comes at a cost.

Her friends hold up a mirror; and she has the humility to see it.

The turning point isn’t the job. It’s the question: “What if this isn’t what I want?”

And then, the choice: “I turned my back on everything I believed in… I’m sorry.”

Andy doesn’t just leave Runway; she returns to herself. In true fashion, she defends Miranda Priestly with clarity, shows loyalty to Nigel Kipling, and extends quiet kindness to Emily Charlton; owning her missteps with grace.

Her lesson is clear: Grow, adapt, rise, but never at the expense of your integrity.

Emily Charlton: The Price of Proximity

Emily’s journey shows the cost of proximity to power: where ambition, pressure, and perfection demand a sharp attitude and a refusal to be invisible.

We need to find someone who can survive around here. Do you understand?”



“She is the editor in-chief of Runway. Not to mention a legend.”



“Runway is a fashion magazine. So an interest in fashion is crucial.”



“I get to go with her to Paris for Fashion Week in the fall. I get to wear couture. I go to all the shows and all the parties. I meet all of the designers. It’s divine.”



“This is the Book. Now, it is a mock-up of everything in the current issue… And we deliver it to Miranda’s apartment every night, and she returns it to us in the morning with her notes.”



I’m one stomach flu away from my goal weight.”



“Oh, I’m sorry, do you have some prior commitment? Some hideous skirt convention you have to go to?”



“You do coat. Do the coat!”



“The run-through… Yes. Editors bring in options for the shoot and Miranda chooses. She chooses every single thing in every single issue. Run-throughs are a huge deal. I don’t know why you don’t know that, Andrea.”



“It’s the benefit tonight. I’ve been looking forward to it for months. I refuse to be sick. I’m wearing Valentino for crying out loud.”



“I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.”




Do you know what really just…gets me about this whole thing, is that, you know, you’re the one who said you don’t really care about this stuff. And you don’t really care about fashion. You jusy wanna be a journalist. What a pile of bollocks!”

“And you know what just kills me about this whole thing, is the clothes you are gonna get. I mean, you don’t deserve them. You eat carbs, for Christ’s sake. God, it’s so unfair!”

“A million girls would kill for this job.”

“I’m on this new diet. It’s very effective. Well, I don’t eat anything. And when I feel like I’m about to faint, I eat a cube of cheese.”

“Face it Andy, you sold your soul the day you put on that first pair of Jimmy Choo’s. I saw it”



“You have a favour to ask of me?… Well, I don’t know. It’s a huge imposition. And I’ll have to get them taken in. I mean, they’ll drown me. But I suppose I could help you out. I will have Roy pick them up this afternoon.”




“You have some very large shoes to fill. I hope you know that.”

Emily is sharp, exacting, and unapologetically honest. From the start, she tells the truth others soften; this world isn’t glamorous but relentless.

Her devotion is total: “I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.” But beneath the repetition is pressure, not passion. Her identity is fused with The Devil Wears Prada – status, proximity, Paris.

She sees everything clearly; even Andy’s shift: “You sold your soul the day you put on that first pair of Jimmy Choos.”

Emily’s honesty is cutting because it’s real. She names the obsession, the competition, the quiet inequities; “A million girls would kill for this job.” And she lives the cost: control, comparison, and a constant edge of not being enough.

Her lesson is stark: when your identity becomes your job, pressure becomes your personality. Proximity to power may look like power; but it often demands everything, while giving just enough to keep you chasing.

Nigel: The Mentor Who Teaches You To See

Nigel is the mentor who turns setbacks into insight, teaching us that taste is intentional, perspective is everything, and disappointment is simply data on the path to mastery.

All right everyone! Gird your loins!”



“Hmm, Corn chowder. That’s an interesting choice. You do know that cellulite is one of the main ingredients in corn chowder.”



“Andy, be serious. You are not trying. You are whining.”



“Who is that sad little person? Are we doing a before-and-after piece I don’t know anything about?”



“Wake up six. She is just doing her job.”



“Don’t you know that you are working at the place that published some of the greatest artists of the century? Halston, Lagerfeld, de la Renta. And what they did, what they created, was greater than art because you live your life in it. Well, not you, obviously, but some people.”



“Not since two became the new four and zero became the new two.”



“Six. Which is the new fourteen.”

“Oh never mind. I’m sure you’ll have plenty more where that polyblend came from.”



“Oh yes, that’s true. That’s really what this multibillion-dollar industry is all about anyway, isn’t it? Inner beauty.”



“You know what they say? Tiny man, huge ego.”



“Well, you know me. Give me a full ballerina skirt and a hint of saloon and I’m on board.”



“You think this is just a magazine. This is not just a magazine. This is a shining beacon of hope for, oh, I don’t know. Let’s say a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers, pretending to go to soccer practice when he was really going to sewing class and reading Runway under the covers at night with a flashlight.”



“You have no idea how many legends have walked these halls. And what’s worse, you don’t care. Because this place, where so many people would die to work, you only deign to work. And you want to know why she doesn’t kiss you on the forehead and give you a gold star on your homework at the end of the day. Wake up, sweetheart.”



“You’ll take what I give you and you’ll like it.”



“Okay. Now, Chanel. You’re in desperate need of Chanel.”



“Darling, shall we? We have to get to the beauty department and God knows how long that’s going to take.”



“You still don’t get it. Do you? Her opinion is the only one that matters.”



“Join the club. That’s what happens when you start doing well at work, darling. Let me know when your whole life goes up in smoke. That means it’s time for a promotion.”



“Oh yeah. A little Crisco and some fishing line, and we’re in business.”



“This is the first time in 18years I’m going to be able to call the shots in my life. I’m going to be able to come to Paris and actually see Paris.”



“For 72 years, Runway has been more than a magazine. It has been a beacon of elegance and grace. Miranda Priestly is the finest possible guardian of that beacon, setting a standard that inspires people across the globe.”



“When the time is right, she’ll pay me back… No. But I hope for the best”

Nigel is wit, wisdom, and truth; delivered without apology. “Gird your loins,” he says, but what he’s really doing is preparing you for reality. In The Devil Wears Prada, he is the bridge between chaos and clarity.

At first, he challenges Andy: “You are not trying. You are whining.” But beneath the sharpness is intention. Nigel doesn’t dismiss her; he invests in her.

He teaches her to see: “This is not just a magazine… it’s a beacon.”

What looks superficial is, in fact, deeply strategic: history, culture, identity, power. Nigel understands that mastery isn’t accidental but devotion. And slowly, quietly, he takes Andy under his wing:

• He transforms her image.
  
  
• He sharpens her awareness.
  
  
• He gives her access to a world she couldn’t yet interpret.
  
  

His mentorship is earned.

Yet, his own story carries the film’s quiet heartbreak. Loyal to Miranda Priestly, he waits for his moment. But when that moment is taken from him, we see the cost of devotion to a system that doesn’t always return it.

Nigel’s lesson is enduring: Mastery requires commitment. What looks like surface is often substance; and those who truly understand it, shape the world the rest simply consume.

The People Who Keep You Honest: Love, Loyalty, And The Cost of Ambition

Andy’s world doesn’t just exist inside Runway; it’s anchored by the people who knew her before the transformation. And their voices matter.

“Miranda Priestly is famous for being unpredictable… I’m actually a girl.”

Doug



“Miranda Priestly is seriously a huge deal. I bet a million girls would kill for that job.”

Doug



“Come on. You’re gonna be answering phones and getting coffee. You need a ball gown for that?

Nate



“Well, I happen to think you look great always.“

Nate



“We’re just a little worried about you, honey. We get emails from you at work at like 2 a.m. Your pay is terrible. You don’t get to write anything.”

Richard Sachs, Andy’s father




“What does she want you to do, call the National Guard and have her airlifted out of there?”

Richard Sachs, Andy’s father



“Python’s hot right now.”

Doug



“That’s.. Whoa. You’ll never survive Miranda… Well you seem nice, smart. You can’t do that job… Well it was very, very nice to meet you Miranda girl.”

Christian Thompson

“Why do women need so many bags? You have one. You put all your junk in it, and that’s it. You’re done.”

Nate

“Fashion is not about utility. An accessory is merely a piece of iconography used to express individual identity.”

Doug



“I’m brilliant. No, really. Monuments should be erected in my honour… A friend of a friend does the cover art and she happens to have the manuscript.”

Christian Thompson



“Yeah, well, either that, or your job sucks, and your boss is a wacko…. It’s your job… I like the old clothes.”

Nate



“You know, the Andy I know is madly in love with Nate, is always five minutes early, and thinks, I don’t know, Club Monaco is couture. For the last 16 years, I’ve known everything about that Andy. But this person? This “glamazon” who skulks around in corners with some random hot fashion guy? I don’t get her.”

Lily



“I know. That’s your answer for everything lately. “I didn’t have a choice.” Like this job was forced on you… Like you don’t make these decisions yourself.”

Nate



“You know, I wouldn’t care if you were out there pole dancing all night, as long as you did it with a little integrity. You used to say this was just a job. You used to make fun of the Runway girls. What happened? Now you’ve become one of them.”

Nate



“You know, incase you were wondering, the person whose calls you always take, that’s the relationship you’re in. I hope you two are very happy together”

Nate



“You’re defending her… You, my friend, are crossing over to the dark side.”

Christian Thompson

Nate’s frustration, Lily’s confrontation, her father’s concern, and even Doug’s commentary all orbit the same truth: success is never neutral; it changes you.

When Nate says, “the person whose calls you always take, that’s the relationship you’re in,” he isn’t just being hurt; he’s naming a shift in priorities. Lily sees it too, calling out the version of Andy she no longer recognises. Her father grounds it in reality: long hours, low pay, and a life drifting away from its original purpose.

Even Christian, charming but opportunistic, reflects another path: one where ambition detaches from loyalty entirely.

And yet, beneath the tension is something powerful: these people care enough to challenge her. They don’t just support her; they hold up a mirror. Not to shame her, but to remind her who she is.

Lesson: The right people won’t always agree with you; but they will tell you the truth. Because real love doesn’t just celebrate your rise, it questions the cost.

In the end, Andy listens. She recognises the drift. She returns; not to who she was, but to who she chooses to be.

Because every opportunity comes with a cost. And every choice shapes not just your career… but your character.

The “Cerulean” Moment: Why It Still Matters

Miranda Priestly: “This… stuff’” Oh. Okay. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select… I don’t know… that lumpy blue sweater, for instance because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back.

But what you don’t know is that that sweater is not just blue. It’s not turquoise. It’s not lapis. It’s actually cerulean.

And you’re also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent… wasn’t it who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here.

And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, uh, filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin.

However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs, and it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room, from a pile of stuff.”

This iconic “Cerulean Sweater” speech is more than about colour; it’s a masterclass in active noticing and the nature of power. What feels random is actually filtered, chosen, and decided by those at the top.

Every industry has its “Cerulean”: your work, your choices, and your output are shaped by the trickle-down influence of expertise. Miss it, and you mistake influence for coincidence. Grasp it, and you understand the systems shaping success.

FAQs: 110 Best Quotes from The Devil Wears Prada

 

The “Prada” Mindset: Choices, Power, and Who You Become

Excellence has a cost. Ambition demands awareness. Power is precise, not loud.

The Devil Wears Prada holds up a mirror. A mirror that asks: What are you chasing? What are you tolerating? Who are you becoming along the way?

This isn’t about the wardrobe, the title, or the access; it’s about conscious choices, boundaries, and self-knowledge. Stop drifting. Decide deliberately how you engage with opportunities. Be bold.

You don’t just survive environments like Runway; you decide how they shape you. The real power isn’t in wearing Prada. It’s in knowing exactly who you are; whether you do or don’t.

The film offers character energies to channel:

• Miranda: Unapologetic excellence; audits everything.
  
  
• Andy: Radical adaptation; learns to notice.
  
  
• Emily: High-stakes ambition; survives the pressure.
  
  
• Nigel: Strategic mentorship; sees the bigger picture.
  
  
• Andy’s Community (Nate, Lily, Doug, her Dad): Honest loyalty, clarity, humour, and grounding that remind her of her values and guide principled choices.
  
  
  

And you? Which energy, and which wisdom from your own community, are you bringing into your workday tomorrow?

The real power isn’t in wearing Prada; it’s in knowing exactly who you are, whether you do or don’t. You don’t need Miranda’s ruthlessness, Emily’s obsession, or Andy’s path; but you will face their choices, and how you respond will define the career, and the person, you become.

Thank you for being a VCC reader.