Simone Ashley represents a new era within the halls of Runway magazine. The British actor plays Amari, the sharp first-assistant to Miranda Priestly in the forthcoming Devil Wears Prada 2. And of what we’ve seen so far, she’s among the best dressed, wearing Thom Browne suit dresses, preppy knits, and lashings of Cartier to the office.
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Stepping out for DWP2 press promo in New York, Ashley shrugged off any assumptions of new-era Emily: she wore a fall 2003 Balenciaga parachute jacket with shiny olive green and black paneling, an asymmetric waistline, and nonchalantly popped collar. (It was a a strong silhouetted collection by Nicolas Ghesquière that played with proportion and patchworks that felt quite Matrix-y.) She paired the statement jacket with a black mini-skirt, Balenciaga ankle boots, a maxi-sized City bag, and YSL sunglasses. Styled by Rebecca Corbin Murray, it was anything but Emily. (Who in the original movie relied upon Gucci, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, and today, embraces head-to-toe Dior as a high-powered exec.)
Off-screen, the Bridgerton actor has crafted a colorful, cool-girl wardrobe, prizing British brands from Burberry to S.S Daley, and sporting co-ords via Marine Serre and Miaou. For sleek minimalist accessories, there’s Prada totes, Ralph Lauren hobos, and Freja’s east-west bag. She’s got a penchant for a good capri pant and a feminine and flirty slip dress. Ashley also shares love for Balenciaga with fellow DWP2 castmate Anne Hathaway, and you’ll often find them together on the fashion week front row.
In the Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer, Amari is visibly shaken by Andy Sachs’s ability to give away Chanel. IRL, Simone Ashley is all about the archive.
