More than 20 former assistants to Anna Wintour gathered at Metrograph for Vogue's book club event on Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada. The evening featured cocktails, an advance screening of the sequel, and a lively discussion with Vogue alumni. Attendees included designers and editors who shared memories of their time at the magazine.
Chloe Malle hosted the second Vogue Book Club gathering at Metrograph, drawing a crowd that resembled the Vogue masthead from recent decades. Over 20 of Anna Wintour's former assistants, dubbed the 'real Andy Sachses,' joined designers like Vera Wang, Prabal Gurung, and Domenico Dolce, as well as editors such as Grace Coddington and Tonne Goodman. The event blended book party, reunion, and oral history of life at Vogue, where Wintour typically had only three assistants at once. Caroline Palmer, Indre Rockefeller, and others embraced warmly, having survived the demanding institution Weisberger fictionalized. Cocktail hour started at 5 p.m. with themed drinks like the spirit-free 'Devil Wears Nada,' sponsored by Samsung Galaxy and Tiffany & Co. Guests enjoyed sliders, hors d'oeuvres, and a photo booth with placards quoting the book, such as Carolina Gonzalez's 'AW assistant class of 2020–2023.' Popcorn arrived in cartons mimicking the novel's cover. The highlight was an advance screening of The Devil Wears Prada 2, set for wide release next week. Afterward, Billy Norwich and Kate Young, both Vogue veterans, discussed the story in a conversation recorded for Vogue’s The Run-Through podcast. Young critiqued Andy Sachs as 'a terrible assistant' who 'should have got fired,' called her boyfriend 'the worst,' and fondly recalled handling Wintour's couture dry cleaning. She shared how the 2006 film prompted a therapy call and how galleys circulated secretly at the old Vogue HQ. Norwich revived his famous 100-question culture test for aspiring assistants.
