There is one scene in particular in The Devil Wears Prada starring Anne Hathaway that will live in our memory forever. In the 2006 film adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the same name, Andy Sachs, an aspiring journalist ends up getting the position of personal assistant to Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Runway, with no idea what the implications of a job in fashion meant.
In the film, Hathaway—who celebrated her 41st birthday on November 12—goes from wearing skirts and loafers so old-fashioned that not even a grandmother would approve, to becoming a fashion icon who continues to influence almost 20 years after the film’s release. The moment that marks a turning point in Andy’s life is when she walks into the Runway office with a new haircut and decked out in leather Chanel boots, to the astonished gaze of Miranda’s other assistant, Emily (Emily Blunt) and her colleague Serena (Gisele Bündchen).
“Are you wearing the…?” Emily asks. “The Chanel boots? Yeah, I am,” Andy replies.
The film’s wardrobe was designed by Patricia Field, the costume designer who also created Carrie Bradshaw’s closet in Sex and the City. Field imagined the transformation of Andy Sachs into a Chanel girl, creating a moment that went on to become a piece of fashion culture. The boots belonged to the fall 2005 collection, while the jacket, also designed by Karl Lagerfeld, was from the resort 2005 runway.
They say that in fashion everything comes and goes, however, it is impressive to note how the Chanel boots that Hathaway wore in 2006 in The Devil Wears Prada are still more fashionable than ever. I’d like to think that this is due to Karl Lagerfeld’s special vision. But as we’ve seen with the fall 2023 runways , it’s also because over-the-knee leather boots are meant to last a lifetime.
This season we saw them on Stella McCartney’s runway, like the one shown here with a brown blazer as a dress. David Koma did it with monochromatic looks, playing with textures and silhouettes of boots that also pass as pants. Victoria Beckham ended up confirming the trend with boots so high that they end up becoming an extension of the leather pants.
I’d like to think that if Andy Sachs hadn’t quit Runway by throwing her phone into a fountain, this is how she would dress in 2023—with the same Chanel boots.