Throughout the years, many fans of the hit 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada have likely wondered how closely the film was based on reality.
It’s well known that the film, which stars Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, was inspired by the life and career of Anna Wintour. Wintour served as the editor-in-chief of Vogue for 37 years and is known for being a no-nonsense perfectionist.
However, is she really as difficult to work for as she is portrayed by Streep’s character in the film? Now, just before the release of the sequel to the movie, some of Wintour’s former assistants are revealing what working for her was truly like.
Marley Marius, Wintour’s former assistant, shared the advice she was given prior to her interview.
“She doesn’t want a robot,” she said. “She wants someone with a personality.”
After landing the job, Marius was given a 21-page handbook that had been passed down from past assistants.
She also revealed that Wintour’s day starts “really early” and that she is typically one of the first people at the office.
Marius went on to say that when she first started the job, she was told that everyone in Wintour’s office wears heels. However, after just a couple of weeks in the position, Marius soon learned that heels would not be a practical shoe choice because of the pace she was expected to work.
“Things are happening at a certain pace, and it sometimes involves a bit of running,” she explained. “So I was finding it not practical to be in heels.”
She noted that Wintour is not someone who wants to be kept waiting.
“When she asks for someone, she wants that person very quickly,” she said.
Another assistant revealed that Wintour would frequently leave handwritten notes that would be very difficult to decipher.
“I would allow myself to ask her once a week [what one of her notes said],” the assistant revealed.
