’90s Vogue Alumni Reveal Their Real Reaction to ’The Devil Wears Prada’

The countdown to the 2026 Met Gala has begun and the momentous occasion means that Voguers from far and wide are flying into New York City, including none other than our very own Chioma Nnadi. Reunited at last, Chioma, Chloe, and Nicole gathered in the studio—on the same day as another royal’s visit to the World Trade Center—and caught up.

Earlier this week, Vogue hosted its second Book Club gathering at Metrograph; a celebration of reading Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada accompanied by a screening of the sequel which comes to theaters on May 1. After the film wrapped, Chloe invited Vogue alumni Kate Young and Billy Norwich to join her on stage for a live podcast taping. 

Kate, who started as Anna’s assistant in the late nineties and Billy, who was then a writer and editor at Vogue, shared memories and spoke about their initial reactions to the book and movie when they first came out. Billy actually accompanied Anna to the 2006 premiere at the Paris Theater and told Chloe that she wanted to wear Prada because “that was her intense humor.” He also spoke about the test he created with the late Charles Gandee which went viral last year when the New York Times published a multiple choice interactive version titled “Could You Have Landed A Job At Vogue in the ‘90s?”

Not all of the reminiscing was so rose-colored. Kate recalled feeling hurt after she read the galley. “At the time she was just making fun of us.” As for Billy, his pet peeve was that “every time I’d get on an airplane that’s what was playing. So I couldn’t escape it.” 

The podcast trio also discussed the age-old question which surfaced in light of this week’s Chanel show: what is cruise or resort season in the fashion world? Despite many attempts to answer this conundrum, year after year someone always needs a refresher. Nicole’s simplest explanation: “cruise is this in-between season, between fall and spring.” The show itself also had the whole office, and broader fashion community, talking particularly about the pair of not-shoe shoes that several models sported on the runway. This near-naked foot look is certainly not practical, but perhaps it’ll be making its way onto red carpets in the future. 

Chioma also brought up the big news that Zoe Kravitz and Harry Styles, after a relatively brief courtship, are engaged. The rock is nothing to scoff at! And in other news, ahead of the first Monday in May, Vogue Cafe is popping up in NYC this weekend on Saturday and Sunday at Altro Paradiso. Get your tickets in the Vogue app—we’ll see you there. 

The Run-Through with Vogue is your go-to podcast where fashion meets culture. Hosted by Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content, Vogue U.S.; Chioma Nnadi, Head of British Vogue; and Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway, each episode features the latest fashion news and exclusive designer and celebrity interviews.

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