Anne Hathaway Defies Miranda Priestly with "Groundbreaking" Florals and Massive Diamonds at 2026 Oscars

Anne Hathaway made a stunning return to the Oscars in floral Valentino and $10M+ in Bulgari diamonds, reuniting with Anna Wintour to tease the upcoming sequel.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 5:56 AM EDT

Source: People

The High-Fashion Irony of "Groundbreaking" Florals

Hathaway’s fashion choice was a masterclass in meta-humor. She arrived in a strapless mermaid-cut Valentino gown featuring a vibrant floral print and a sweeping train—a bold defiance of the infamous line, "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking," from the original 2006 film. To elevate the look to Oscar-caliber prestige, she added long black opera gloves and a staggering display of Bulgari High Jewelry. The centerpiece was the "Neoclassical Starlight" necklace, which featured a rare 8.02-carat yellow diamond and nearly 100 additional white diamonds, a piece that reportedly took 850 hours to craft.

A Legendary Stage Reunion with Anna Wintour

The night’s most viral moment occurred when Hathaway took the stage alongside Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour to present the awards for Costume Design and Makeup & Hairstyling. The duo engaged in a scripted skit inspired by the complex relationship between Andrea Sachs and Miranda Priestly. In a moment of meta-comedy, Wintour reportedly called Hathaway "Emily"—a nod to the film’s running gag where Priestly refuses to learn her second assistant's name. This appearance effectively served as the unofficial launch of the Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour.

TRANSFORMATIVE ANALYSIS: The Power of the Nostalgia Press Tour

Hathaway’s appearance demonstrates the evolution of the "Method Dressing" trend, where actors dress as an extension of their characters during promotional cycles. By leaning into the Devil Wears Prada lore at the industry's most prestigious event, Hathaway and her styling team have maximized the cultural capital of the sequel. This strategy bridges the gap between the 2006 cult classic and the 2026 landscape, ensuring that the film’s May 1 release is framed not just as a movie premiere, but as a major fashion event. The presence of Anna Wintour—the real-world inspiration for Miranda Priestly—further legitimizes the sequel's place in the high-fashion hierarchy.