“I don’t think it could be the same because nobody can be Miley. I think that’s the number one thing. She really made the show.” Courtesy of Disney
As The Devil Wears Prada 2 arrives in time for the original film’s 20th anniversary, take a look back at what pop culture looked like in 2006, when the first film came out.
When 2026 began, it was ironic that welcoming a fresh year meant feeling nostalgic because of 2016 trends. They were all over the internet: throwback pictures using Snapchat filters, the overly saturated use of the VSCO app, and even the pop songs that dominated that year.
But let’s go back another 10 years to 2006. With the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, others may rewatch the first film to freshen up their memory from 20 years ago. The film that got people’s attention for showing what working for a fashion magazine looks like beyond the glitz and glamour. And maybe because of the open secret that it portrays Vogue’s then editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, after the story was written by her former assistant, Lauren Weisberger.
For a storyline that still influences today’s pop culture as shown by the decision to release a second film for its 20th anniversary, what did it feel like living in that era? Let’s take a look back at the pop culture happenings in 2006.
Hannah Montana
Metallic jackets, rhinestones, denim vests, and chunky belts were all over the film. It was the time when Miley Cyrus was popular with her long blonde hair and bangs. Hannah Montana is a teen sitcom produced by Disney Channel about a teenage girl living a double life as the pop singer Hannah Montana, an alter ego she adopted so she could continue living a normal life, or as the song says, “the best of both worlds.”
Popular Hannah Montana songs have been hitting the charts on Spotify this year as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show. These include “The Best of Both Worlds,” “Nobody’s Perfect,” and “He Could Be the One.”
Chanel Spring 2006
Remember when Andy Sachs had her transformation? In The Devil Wears Prada, she steps into her new fashion world wearing Chanel as part of her styled wardrobe shift, far from her earlier office outfits. Around the same time, Karl Lagerfeld was the creative director of Chanel, shaping the house during a period when fashion was becoming more fast-moving and reference-heavy. The Spring 2006 collection felt like that shift too, mixing classic Chanel tweed with softer, more romantic pieces, along with playful takes on staples like cropped jackets, layered textures, and schoolgirl-inspired tailoring.
In the show’s context, Lagerfeld also described how the industry was changing, saying that fashion was now about “the availability of a gazillion simultaneous choices rather than the single, old-designer diktat.”
High School Musical
2006 was another big year for Disney, as High School Musical immediately became the highest-rated Disney Channel Original Movie at the time. Defined by its pop-heavy musical numbers, the film centers on basketball player Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron, and Gabriella Montez, played by Vanessa Hudgens, as they try out for the school musical.
The trilogy also boosted the stardom of Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel, who played the Evans twins. Popular songs from the films include “Breaking Free,” “We’re All in This Together,” “Bet on It,” and “Fabulous.”
Vogue’s September 2006 Issue
Before regencycore was popularized by Bridgerton in this era, it had already appeared earlier with Kirsten Dunst. She played Marie Antoinette in Sofia Coppola’s film and was the cover girl of the Vogue September 2006 issue, photographed in Versailles wearing a pink corseted taffeta-and-chiffon ball gown by Alexander McQueen.
The same issue featured the headline “Teen Queen,” capturing how she was being positioned at the time as one of Hollywood’s most visible young stars, somewhere between child actress and a full-fledged Hollywood figure.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Corsets and tricorne hats were also part of the “piratecore” trend when Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest was released as the second film in 2006. It is an action-adventure fantasy film that follows Captain Jack Sparrow as he attempts to escape a blood debt owed to Davy Jones, ruler of the ocean depths.
The pentalogy has gathered 11 Academy Award nominations, with four of them for Dead Man’s Chest. The second film also won Best Visual Effects.
Beyoncé Look
When the “bebot” trend in the Philippines resurfaced, it brought back a very specific look from that era: bronzed skin, glossy lips, and softly smoky eyes. It was a look seen in flash photography, red carpets, and magazine covers.
And honestly, Beyoncé is one of the easiest references for it. Around her B’Day era in 2006, she leaned into that bronzed skin, glossy lips, and full-glam makeup look that became closely associated with her performances and public appearances at the time. She was frequently visible during a heavy period of music promotion, including events like the MTV Movie Awards.
My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade”
The 2000s aesthetic is not complete without emo as a youth subculture. Released as the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade is a theatrical, gothic-inspired emo rock album that centers on the story of a man suffering from terminal cancer known as “The Patient,” as he nears the end of his life.
The album’s single “Welcome to the Black Parade” won Best Single and Best Video at the 2007 Kerrang! Awards, as well as Best International Video at the 2007 iHeartRadio MuchMusic Video Awards.
The “Brangelina” Baby
If two A-list stars become a couple, paparazzi is one of the first things to follow. One year after the release of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where they starred together, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie better known then as “Brangelina,” welcomed their first biological baby, Shiloh Nouvel, in 2006.
The attention around the couple became so intense that they stayed in a secluded resort in Namibia to protect their child from the media, with the government even providing private security and restricting journalists without the couple’s permission. Afterwards, they sold the first photos of Shiloh to magazines and Getty Images for a reported $4.1 million before donating the money to charity.
Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack”
What is pop culture without the Prince of Pop in the 2000s? After the band NSYNC went on hiatus in 2002, the members pursued their solo careers, with Justin Timberlake being one of them. In June 2006, he released his single “SexyBack,” a dark and industrial take on pop-R&B that is completely different from the cleaner sound of his previous work.
The single was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks. He also won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2007. He produced the track alongside Timbaland and Nate “Danja” Hills, with Jimmy Douglass as the mixer.
The Holy Trinity
Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan together in one car? That single photo of the three inside Hilton’s two-seater Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren outside the Beverly Hills Hotel became one of the most recognizable celebrity images of the 2000s.
It wasn’t just because they were massively popular at the time either. Before that photo, Paris and Lindsay were publicly feuding in the press, while Britney had filed for divorce from Kevin Federline earlier that month. The public was so invested in their personal lives that paparazzi flashes surrounded the car, and tabloids later gave the moment headlines like “Bimbo Summit,” a label that would probably not sit well today.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Devil Wears Prada is a 2006 comedy-drama film directed by David Frankel, based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel of the same name. It follows Andy Sachs, a young journalist who lands a job at a major fashion magazine and gets exposed to the demanding world of high fashion.
The Devil Wears Prada was released in 2006 and is often referenced for its portrayal of fashion media and workplace culture in the industry at that time
The beauty trend in 2006 focused on bronzed skin, glossy lips, and softly smoky eye makeup. It was a polished look commonly seen in red carpet events and fashion magazines.
Kirsten Dunst covered the issue under the headline “Teen Queen,” photographed at Versailles in a pink corseted taffeta-and-chiffon ball gown by Alexander McQueen during her Marie Antoinette press cycle.
The year was defined by the debuts of Hannah Montana and High School Musical, the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade, Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack,” and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie welcoming their daughter Shiloh.
