PETA frames this as a natural evolution of fashion's ethical journey—fur is out, but the work isn't done. The ad positions animal skin alternatives as the next frontier in conscious consumerism, with Hollywood lending its cultural cache to the cause.
Sources close to Condé Nast say internal discussions about expanding beyond fur have been happening for months. PETA's timing—hitting theaters during the sequel's opening weekend—isn't coincidental; it's calculated to reach the exact demographic who actually buys luxury goods.
Condé Nast officially banned new animal fur from its magazines' editorial and advertising pages in October 2025, affecting titles including Vogue. The PETA ad references a 1996 incident where an activist threw a dead raccoon onto Anna Wintour's plate at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City.
PETA knows exactly what it's doing by hijacking the Devil Wears Prada moment—the sequel is projected to earn $75-100 million opening weekend, giving them a captive audience of fashion-forward moviegoers. But this isn't just theater advocacy; Condé Nast's fur ban proves the industry IS listening.
PETA has launched its most ambitious theatrical takeover yet, debuting a "Devil Wears Prada"-inspired ad that will run for two weeks before screenings of "The Devil Wears Prada 2" in 100 theaters across the United States. The spot, created in collaboration with creative director Chris Carl, drops today—the same day the sequel hits multiplexes—and arrives with a pointed message: fur may be out, but leather, wool, and exotic animal skins remain fair game for PETA's ire.
The ad opens with a Stanley Tucci look-alike delivering that now-iconic line "Gird your loins" as his co-workers frantically hide their animal skin clothing and accessories. But the real power move comes at the end: a Miranda Priestly-esque figure types out an email declaring, "Runway will no longer feature any fashion made from animal skins. No exceptions.
That's all," before the tagline slaps across the screen: "A Change of Heart Could Change Everything." It's clever, it's pointed, and it directly calls out designers—including Prada—whose continued use of leather and exotic skins has PETA's lips pursed in disgust, per president Tracy Reiman's statement. Here's where things get interesting. The fashion industry has already been moving in PETA's direction: In October 2025, Condé Nast officially banned new animal fur from its magazines' editorial and advertising pages, affecting publications including Vogue.
That's not a small concession—Condé Nast controls some of the most influential fashion real estate on the planet. Industry insiders tell me those conversations about expanding that policy beyond just fur have been happening internally for months, which makes PETA's theater ad feel less like a standalone stunt and more like pressure applied at exactly the right moment. Of course, this isn't PETA's first rodeo with high-profile fashion provocations.
The organization claimed responsibility for a 1996 incident where an activist hurled a dead raccoon onto Anna Wintour's plate during lunch at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City, yelling "Anna wears fur hats" before fleeing the scene. According to reporting from the New York Times at the time, Wintour remained composure personified: "Merry Christmas," she reportedly said to then-Condé Nast president Steven T. Florio as staff removed the carcass.
Thirty years later, Condé Nast's fur ban suggests PETA's aggressive tactics eventually landed. The sequel's box office projections suggest PETA timed this intervention perfectly. The film starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci earned $10 million in previews and is projected to pull in between $75 million and $80 million opening weekend—some estimates place it even higher at $90 million to $100 million given the original's devoted fanbase.
Internationally, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" already has $40.5 million in its pocket after two days in 45 markets. That's millions of potential consumers walking into theaters and absorbing PETA's message—and millions more who'll see clips shared online. Whether those moviegoers check labels before buying their next cerulean sweater remains to be seen, but you can bet PETA will be watching.