Andy Devaney
Devil Wears Prada 2 is already doing what fashion, film and a well-cut coat have always done best: making people want things they did not know they needed. In this case, it is not just a handbag or a pair of sunglasses. It is Lake Como at golden hour, Milan in full fashion stride, and the faintly dangerous idea that your next holiday might require better shoes.
Nearly two decades after The Devil Wears Prada became a cultural reference point for sharp tailoring, sharper tongues and the terrifying power of an icy pause, its sequel is now drawing attention before it has even reached audiences. Paparazzi images have already offered glimpses of glamorous Italian settings, and travel eSIM provider Saily believes the travel surge may not be far behind.
“Films like The Devil Wears Prada don’t just stay on screen; they quickly translate into real-world travel demand. When audiences start seeing iconic locations, especially luxury ones, those places often become highly in demand almost overnight,” says Matas Cenys, head of product at Saily.
Lake Como: The New Prada Escape
Lake Como has never exactly been short of admirers. It is the sort of place that looks as though someone designed it after three espressos and a long lunch with a very generous budget.
The villas sit against the water with the quiet confidence of old money. The hills rise steeply behind them. Boats move across the lake as if they have been instructed not to wrinkle the surface. It is peaceful, polished and ruinously good at making ordinary life feel underdressed.
Among the most talked-about filming locations for Devil Wears Prada 2 are luxury villas around Lake Como, where paparazzi captured scenes featuring the cast in classic Italian surroundings. That alone may be enough to send travellers hunting for lakeside stays, private terraces and boutique hotels with the sort of view that makes breakfast last until lunch.
For anyone hoping to recreate the Prada lifestyle, Lake Como is the emotional centrepiece. It offers the slow glamour: private estates, water taxis, mountain light, long lunches and hotels where the lobby probably smells expensive.
Why Lake Como Works So Well On Screen
Some destinations need explanation. Lake Como simply needs a camera.
Its appeal is not just luxury, although there is plenty of that. It is the contrast: dramatic cliffs and still water, grand villas and quiet villages, high-end hospitality and old Italian rhythm. It feels cinematic because it already behaves like a film set.
Compared with the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como is less shouty. Compared with the French Riviera, it is less interested in proving a point. It has glamour, but it wears it like a cashmere jumper rather than a sequinned jacket.
That makes it a natural fit for Devil Wears Prada 2. The story may belong to fashion, but the setting does some of the tailoring.
Milan: Fashion At The Centre
If Lake Como is the exhale, Milan is the click of heels on marble.
The sequel also returns to the heart of the fashion world, with scenes tied to Milan’s industry events and locations. This is not a city that drifts. It moves. It edits. It judges your coat from a distance and is probably right.
For travellers, Milan offers a different kind of Prada-inspired trip. It is less about lounging by the lake and more about momentum: luxury shopping districts, fashion week energy, design hotels, gallery stops, espresso counters, aperitivo hours and the kind of people-watching that makes sunglasses feel like essential kit.
During peak fashion periods, availability can tighten quickly. Hotels rise in price. Tables disappear. The best locations become harder to access. Anyone planning a Devil Wears Prada 2 trip around Milan should think less “last-minute city break” and more “operation with tailoring”.
How To Plan A Prada-Inspired Trip
The first rule is simple: move early. The second rule is to leave room for elegance, which is much harder than it sounds when everyone else has had the same idea.
Cenys recommends travellers book accommodation early, especially in high-demand areas like Lake Como. That matters if you are aiming for lakeside villas, boutique hotels or private stays with strong location appeal.
Avoiding peak fashion week dates may also help unless the entire point is to be there for the event atmosphere. Milan is thrilling during fashion week, but it is also busy, expensive and not especially forgiving to casual planners.
Midweek travel can offer better availability and pricing, particularly for travellers trying to combine Milan with nearby destinations. A multi-city itinerary makes sense here: Milan for fashion, Lake Como for cinematic calm, and perhaps a nearby cultural stop to give the trip more depth than simply chasing a backdrop.
“Today’s travellers are not just visiting places, they’re trying to step into a certain lifestyle. That often means combining destinations, planning around moments, and moving quickly before demand peaks,” Cenys adds.
The Smart Itinerary: Milan First, Como Second
A sensible Devil Wears Prada 2 itinerary starts in Milan. Land, check in, absorb the fashion pulse, visit the shopping districts, wander through design-led neighbourhoods, and build in time for the sort of café stop where nobody is rushing but everyone looks busy.
Then head to Lake Como.
That order works because Milan gives the trip its pace, while Como gives it its payoff. One is the runway. The other is the afterparty with better lighting.
Travellers should consider transport carefully, especially if planning private experiences or villa stays. Lake Como can feel effortless once you arrive, but the logistics still need handling. Book transfers, restaurants and lake experiences ahead where possible. Nothing punctures glamour quite like standing outside a fully booked restaurant in shoes designed mainly for sitting down.
The Prada Effect Is Already Stirring
The so-called “Prada effect” is easy to understand. A film shows a place beautifully, audiences fall in love with it, and suddenly everyone wants a version of the same moment.
With Devil Wears Prada 2 gaining attention ahead of release, that process may already be underway. Screen tourism has become a powerful travel driver, particularly when the locations involve luxury hotels, recognisable cities and aspirational lifestyles.
Lake Como and Milan already had global appeal. The sequel may simply pour rocket fuel into the espresso.
Is It Worth Planning Before The Film Lands?
Yes, particularly for travellers who want choice rather than leftovers.
The smart money is on planning before the wider audience fully arrives. That does not mean rushing blindly into expensive bookings. It means identifying the right dates, avoiding obvious peak-pressure periods, and deciding what version of the trip actually suits you.
For some, that will be a Milan fashion weekend with sharp hotels and sharper tailoring. For others, it will be Lake Como, a terrace, a boat ride and the smug calm of having booked before everyone else discovered the same view.
Either way, Devil Wears Prada 2 looks set to turn Italian glamour into travel intent. And as any fashion editor, golf caddie or weary travel planner will tell you, timing is everything.
