What The Devil Wears Prada Got Right—and Wrong—About Working for Anna Wintour at Vogue

Three former Vogue assistants share the real-life experiences behind the iconic fashion film.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 12:51am

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An extreme close-up of shimmering, reflective sequins and crushed velvet textures, conceptually representing the high-stakes, high-fashion environment of Vogue magazine.The glamorous world of Vogue is revealed through the lens of high-fashion textures, capturing the allure and intensity of working for a legendary editor like Anna Wintour.NYC Today

The 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger, offered a dramatized look at what it was like to work for Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Now, three of Wintour's former assistants have shared insights into how the movie both captured and missed the mark on the realities of the job.

Why it matters

The Devil Wears Prada has become a cultural touchstone, but its depiction of the Vogue office and Wintour's management style has long been debated. This inside look from those who've actually worked for the legendary editor provides a unique perspective on how accurately the film portrayed the highs and lows of the job.

The details

The assistants noted that Wintour's interviews focused more on personal questions than job-related ones, and that the hierarchy between first and second assistants was more mentorship-focused than adversarial. They also said the long hours were expected but manageable with a supportive personal life, and that tasks like fetching newspapers had been phased out in favor of digital tools. However, the nerve-wracking anticipation of Wintour's arrival and the intense feedback sessions on fashion choices did ring true to their experiences.

  • In 2019, Sache Taylor began working for Wintour after transferring from the special events department.
  • In 2023, Sammi Tapper was hired as Wintour's assistant.
  • In 2017, Marley Marius started working for Wintour a week after graduating college.

The players

Anna Wintour

The editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine for nearly four decades, known for her exacting standards and influential role in the fashion industry.

Sache Taylor

The director of special events at Vogue, who began working for Wintour in 2019 after transferring from the special events department.

Sammi Tapper

The director of operations and content strategy for U.S. Vogue, who was hired as Wintour's assistant in 2023.

Marley Marius

A senior editor at Vogue, who started working for Wintour a week after graduating college in 2017.

Chloe Malle

The current editor-in-chief of Vogue, who succeeded Wintour.

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What they’re saying

“Questions were personal. I didn't expect her to be wearing her sunglasses because the doors were shut and I was like, 'Sure, she'll take the glasses off and we'll just have a chat.' She made it very clear that it was going to be an intense job, which it proved to be.”

— Sammi Tapper, Director of Operations and Content Strategy for U.S. Vogue

“When you sign up for it, you know you're committing 120 percent to it for X amount of time.”

— Sammi Tapper, Director of Operations and Content Strategy for U.S. Vogue

“I mean, I changed out of my clogs into more appropriate shoes, for sure.”

— Marley Marius, Senior Editor at Vogue

The takeaway

While The Devil Wears Prada offered a dramatized depiction of working at Vogue under Anna Wintour, these former assistants provide a more nuanced look at the realities of the job - from the personal interview process to the intense but rewarding work culture. Their insights shed light on how the film both captured and missed the mark on the true experience of toiling away at one of fashion's most iconic magazines.