The
long-awaited sequel to the 2006 cult classic is officially titled The Devil
Wears Prada 2 and is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
The
"Core Four" Returns
The
sequel reunites the original main cast, nearly 20 years after the first film:
Meryl
Streep as the legendary Miranda Priestly.
Anne
Hathaway as Andy Sachs.
Emily
Blunt as Emily Charlton.
Stanley
Tucci as Nigel.
They are
joined by major new additions, including Kenneth Branagh as Miranda's husband,
along with Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Simone Ashley, and Lady Gaga, who
reportedly contributed an original song titled "Runway".
Plot: A
High-Fashion Power Struggle
The story
shifts the focus to a modern media landscape where print journalism is in a
steep decline.
The
Conflict: Miranda Priestly is struggling to keep Runway magazine afloat amid a
changing industry. She finds herself forced to face off against her former
assistant, Emily Charlton, who is now a high-powered executive at a luxury
group that controls the advertising revenue Miranda desperately needs.
Andy's
Role: Andy has evolved into a serious features editor. In the trailers, she is
seen returning to the offices of Runway to help Miranda navigate a growing
scandal that threatens the magazine's survival.
Production
& Release Details
Directed
& Written by: Original director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh
McKenna are both back.
Filming
Locations: Production took place between June and October 2025 across
Manhattan, Newark, and Milan.
Dutch
Release: For those in the Netherlands, the film is scheduled to premiere
slightly earlier on April 30, 2026.
While the
film borrows elements from Lauren Weisberger's sequel novel Revenge Wears
Prada: The Devil Returns, the screenwriter has noted that much of the movie
features original material tailored to how the fashion and publishing worlds
have changed since the original.
Elizabeth
II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story. 9 April 2026
by Robert
Hardman (Author)
‘Sensational’
Daily Mail
Published
for her centenary, Elizabeth II is a brilliant new portrait of the late Queen,
full of fresh revelations. From the Sunday Times number one bestselling author
of Charles III, it is the essential story of her life and record-breaking
reign.
Biographer
and royal commentator Robert Hardman has had unique access to the world of the
late Queen – including family, staff, advisers and even the last state visitor
of her record-breaking reign, President Donald Trump himself.
As
daughter, wife, mother and sovereign, Elizabeth lived fascinating parallel
lives, both in private and in public. But she remained something of a mystery –
beloved, even revered, modest yet daunting, naturally shy but globally
recognizable, inscrutable and also authentic. She was grand but so familiar
that we felt we knew her. Yet we would always be left asking the same question:
‘What’s she really like?’
The only
biographer to have interviewed all the senior members of the Royal Family, some
of them several times, no one has written more authoritatively on Queen
Elizabeth II than Robert Hardman. Here he has crafted a gripping story of
drama, devotion, triumph, tragedy, humour and conflict; of an outwardly
stoical, inwardly complex woman whose love of family, love of country and duty
to the Crown might have pulled her in different directions but never derailed
her; a global stateswoman who wielded her great authority with charm and
understatement.
Elizabeth
II will explain why the Queen was not merely the most famous woman in the
world. She was one of history’s all-time greats.
‘If you
read one biography on Elizabeth II, this is the one . . . magnificent’ – Simon
Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History
Arundells,
located in Salisbury's Cathedral Close, is a 13th-century medieval canonry
transformed from a dilapidated state into the cherished home of former Prime
Minister Sir Edward Heath. Purchased by Heath in 1985, this Grade II*-listed
building serves as a curated sanctuary, displaying his extensive art
collection, political memorabilia, and musical interests.
A History
of Transformation
Medieval
Origins: Originally constructed around 1213 as a canonry, the house retains its
medieval foundation.
18th
Century Facade: The building received a comprehensive rebuilding in 1718,
resulting in its current Queen Anne classical appearance.
Neglect
and Restoration: After periods of decline in the mid-20th century, the house
was extensively restored after being purchased by Robert and Kate Hawkins,
before Ted Heath bought the leasehold in 1985.
The Prime
Ministerial Sanctuary
Sir
Edward Heath (Prime Minister from 1970–1974) lived at Arundells from 1985 until
his death in 2005.
Eclectic
Collection: The house acts as a time capsule, showcasing paintings by Winston
Churchill and John Singer Sargent, Chinese ceramics, Japanese prints, and
cartoons.
Personal
Interests: It features his Steinway piano and significant sailing memorabilia
from his times as an accomplished yachtsman.
Walled
Garden: The property includes two acres of gardens that stretch to the
confluence of the rivers Avon and Nadder.
Visiting
Arundells
Charitable
Trust: Heath bequeathed the house to the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation
to allow public access.
Opening
Times: It is generally open to the public, offering guided tours of the house
and access to the gardens.
Location:
Situated at 59 The Close, Salisbury, offering stunning views of the Cathedral.
Alvis Car and
Engineering Company Ltd was a British manufacturing company in
Coventry from 1919 to 1967. In addition to automobiles designed for
the civilian market, the company also produced racing cars, aircraft
engines, armoured cars and other armoured fighting vehicles.
Car manufacturing
ended after the company became a subsidiary of Rover in 1965, but
armoured vehicle manufacture continued. Alvis became part of British
Leyland and then in 1982 was sold to United Scientific Holdings,
which renamed itself Alvis plc.
The original
company, T.G. John and Company Ltd., was founded in 1919 by Thomas
George John (1880–1946). Its first products were stationary
engines, carburetors and motorscooters. Following complaints from the
Avro aircraft company whose logo bore similarities to the original
winged green triangle, the more familiar inverted red triangle
incorporating the word "Alvis" evolved. On 14 December 1921
the company officially changed its name to The Alvis Car and
Engineering Company Ltd. Geoffrey de Freville (1883–1965) designed
the first Alvis engine and is also responsible for the company name.
The origin of the
name Alvis has been the subject of a great deal of speculation over
the years. Some have suggested that de Freville proposed the name
Alvis as a compound of the words "aluminium" and "vis"
(meaning "strength" in Latin), or perhaps it may have been
derived from the Norse mythological weaponsmith, Alvíss. De Freville
however vigorously rejected all of these theories. In 1921 he
specifically stated that the name had no meaning whatsoever, and was
chosen simply because it could be easily pronounced in any language.
He reaffirmed this position in the early 1960s, stating that any
other explanations for the source of the name were purely
coincidental.
Production was
relocated to Holyhead Road in Coventry, where from 1922 to 1923 they
also made the Buckingham car. In 1922 George Thomas Smith-Clarke
(1884–1960) left his job as assistant works manager at Daimler and
joined Alvis as Chief Engineer and Works Manager. Smith-Clarke was
accompanied by William M. Dunn, who also left his job as a
draughtsman at Daimler to become Chief Draughtsman at Alvis. This
partnership lasted for nearly 28 years and was responsible for
producing some of the most successful products in the company's
history. Smith-Clarke left in 1950, and Dunn assumed Smith-Clarke's
position as chief engineer, remaining in that position until 1959.
De Freville's first
engine design was a four-cylinder engine with aluminium pistons and
pressure lubrication, which was unusual for that time. The first car
model using de Freville's engine was the Alvis 10/30. It was an
instant success and established the reputation for quality
workmanship and superior performance for which the company was to
become famous. The original 10/30 side-valve engine was improved,
becoming by 1923 the overhead valve Alvis 12/50, a highly successful
sports car that was produced until 1932. Around 700 of the 12/50
models and 120 of the later Alvis 12/60 models survive today.
1927 saw the
introduction of the six-cylinder Alvis 14.75 and this engine became
the basis for the long line of luxurious six-cylinder Alvis cars
produced up to the outbreak of the Second World War. These cars were
elegant and full of technical innovations. Independent front
suspension and the world's first all-synchromesh gearbox came in 1933
followed by servo assisted brakes. The Alvis 12/75 model was
introduced in 1928, a model bristling with innovation, such as
front-wheel drive, in-board brakes, overhead camshaft and, as an
option, a Roots type supercharger.
As with many
upmarket engineering companies of the time, Alvis did not produce
their own coachwork, relying instead on the many available
coachbuilders in the Midlands area, such as Carbodies, Charlesworth
Bodies, Cross and Ellis, Duncan Industries (Engineers) Ltd, E.
Bertelli Ltd, Grose, Gurney Nutting, Hooper, Lancefield Coachworks,
Martin Walter Ltd, Mayfair, Mulliners, Tickford, Vanden Plas, Weymann
Fabric Bodies, and William Arnold Ltd. Several cars also survive with
quite exotic one-off bodywork from other designers such as Holbrook,
a U.S. coachbuilder.[2]
In 1936 the company
name was shortened to Alvis Ltd, and aircraft engine and armoured
vehicle divisions were added to the company by the beginning of the
Second World War. Smith-Clarke designed several models during the
1930s and 1940s, including the six-cylinder Speed 20, the Speed 25,
and the Alvis 4.3 Litre model.
Second World War
lubrication, which was unusual for that time. The first car model
using de Freville's engine was the Alvis 10/30. It was an instant
success and established the reputation for quality workmanship and
superior performance for which the company was to become famous. The
original 10/30 side-valve engine was improved, becoming by 1923 the
overhead valve Alvis 12/50, a highly successful sports car that was
produced until 1932. Around 700 of the 12/50 models and 120 of the
later Alvis 12/60 models survive today.
Car production was
initially suspended in September 1939 following the outbreak of war
in Europe, but was later resumed and production of the 12/70, Crested
Eagle, Speed 25, and 4.3 Litre continued well into 1940. The car
factory was severely damaged on 14 November 1940 as a result of
several bombing raids on Coventry by the German Luftwaffe, although
ironically the armaments factory suffered little damage. Much
valuable cutting gear and other equipment was lost and car production
was suspended for the duration of the war, only resuming during the
latter part of 1946. Despite this, Alvis carried out war production
on aircraft engines (as sub-contractor of Rolls-Royce Limited) and
other aircraft equipment.
Car production
resumed with a four-cylinder model, the TA 14, based on the pre-war
12/70. A solid, reliable and attractive car, the TA 14 fitted well
the mood of sober austerity in post war Britain, but much of the
magic attaching to the powerful and sporting pre-war models had gone
and life was not easy for a specialist car manufacturer. Not only had
Alvis lost their car factory but many of the prewar coachbuilders had
not survived either and those that had were quickly acquired by other
manufacturers. In fact, the post-war history of Alvis is dominated by
the quest for reliable and reasonably priced coachwork.
1950s
Smith-Clarke retired
in 1950 and Dunn took over as chief engineer. In 1950 a new chassis
and six-cylinder 3–litre engine was announced and this highly
successful engine became the basis of all Alvis models until
production ceased in 1967. Saloon bodies for the TA 21, as the new
model was called, again came from Mulliners of Birmingham as they had
for the TA 14, with Tickford producing the dropheads. But with the
first of these committing themselves in October 1954 to supply only
Standard Triumph who purchased it in 1958 and the second being
acquired by David Brown owner of Aston Martin Lagonda in late 1955,
it was becoming clear that new arrangements would have to be made.
Some of the most original and beautiful designs on the 3 Litre
chassis were being produced by master coachbuilder Carrosserie Herman
Graber of Switzerland and indeed these often one-off–designed cars
are highly sought after today. Graber had begun to use TA 14 chassis
soon after the war building three Tropic coupés which were much
admired. When the Three Litre chassis was introduced his bodies
displayed at the Geneva Motor Shows in 1951 and 1952 attracted
sufficient interest for Graber to set up a standing order of 30
chassis per year. Swiss-built Graber coupés were displayed on the
Alvis stand at both Paris and London Motor Shows in October 1955.
With a licence in
place, from late 1955 all Alvis bodies became based on Graber designs
however few chassis and few bodies were built over the next two
years. Around 15 or 16 TC108/Gs were built by Willowbrook Limited of
Loughborough and Willowbrook was subsequently taken over by Duple
Coachbuilders. Over the same two years Graber built 22 TC 108Gs and
complained that if he had received chassis he would have committed
himself to buying 20 a year. Only after late 1958 with the launch of
the TD 21 did something resembling full-scale production resume as
Rolls-Royce subsidiary Park Ward began to build the new bodies now
modified in many small ways. These cars, the TD 21 and its later
variants, the TE 21 and finally the TF 21 are well built, attractive
and fast cars. However it was clear by the mid-1960s that with a
price tag of nearly double that of the mass-produced Jaguar, the end
could not be far off.
From 1952 to 1955
Alec Issigonis, the creator of the later Mini, worked for Alvis and
designed a new model with a V8 engine which proved too expensive to
produce.
1960s
Rover took a
controlling interest in Alvis in 1965 and a Rover-designed
mid-engined V8 coupé prototype named the P6BS was rumoured to be the
new Alvis model but with the takeover by British Leyland this too was
shelved. By the time the TF 21 was launched in 1966, (available, like
its predecessors in both saloon and drophead form and with either
manual or automatic gearbox), the model was beginning to show its age
despite a top speed of 127 mph – the fastest Alvis ever produced.
With only 109 sold and with political troubles aplenty in the UK car
manufacturing business at that time, production finally ceased in
1967.
In 1968, a
management buyout of the car operations was finalised and all the
Alvis car design plans, customer records, stock of parts and
remaining employees were transferred to Red Triangle.
1970s to present
As part of Rover,
Alvis Limited was incorporated into British Leyland but was bought by
United Scientific Holdings plc in 1981. Subsequently the company's
name was changed to Alvis plc. Alvis plc acquired British truck
manufacturer Universal Power Drives in 1994, naming their new
subsidiary Alvis Unipower Limited. The trucks were subsequently
branded as Alvis-Unipower. In 1998, Alvis plc acquired the armoured
vehicle business of GKN plc, and the main UK manufacturing operation
was moved from Coventry to Telford. The site of the Alvis works in
Holyhead Road is now an out-of-town shopping complex, but its name,
Alvis Retail Park, reflects the heritage of the site. In 2002 Alvis
plc purchased Vickers Defence Systems to form the subsidiary Alvis
Vickers Ltd, which was in turn purchased by BAE Systems in 2004. BAE
Systems ended the use of the Alvis distinctive red triangle
trademark.
In 2009, Red
Triangle negotiated the legal transfer of the Alvis car trademarks.
The following year, the company announced that the 4.3 Litre Short
Chassis tourer would once again be available. All Alvis' records
remain intact at the company’s Kenilworth headquarters along with a
large stock of period parts. One of the men to have worked on the
very last Alvis car produced in 1967 is still retained by Red
Triangle in a training capacity. Built to the original plans, the new
car has been named the "Continuation Series", to reflect
the 73-year interruption in its production between 1937 and 2010. It
differs only in detail from the pre-war examples: for emissions, the
engine is governed by an electronic fuel injection system with
electronic ignition, brakes are hydraulic rather than cable, the
steering column collapsible and the rear light arrangement
reconfigured to conform to modern standards.
1935 Alvis 4.3 Litre
1936 Alvis Speed 20
1936 Alvis Speed 25
1948 Fourteen
drophead coupé-cabriolet
1952 Three Litre
sports saloon
Three Litre TC
21/100 Grey Lady sports saloon
1957 Three Litre TC
108G fixed head coupé
1967 Three Litre
series IV drophead coupé or cabriolet
In 2012 Alvis announced it would offer five
variants of its cars.These included both 4.3 litre and 3 litre chassis
derivatives. In 2019, a sixth model was released to coincide with the agreement
for Meiji Sangyo to be the distributor for Asia.
In 2021, the firm was featured in the BBC Four
documentary Classic British Cars: Made in Coventry and released its Graber
Super Coupe continuation car, with a convertible version due out in 2022.
Historic
British brand Alvis returns with continuation cars
Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran July 25, 2019
Historic
British brand Alvis, founded in 1919 and at one point the employer of Alec
Issigonis, the designer of the original Mini, is back building beauties as part
of a continuation series of cars.
The original
passenger arm of Alvis (there was also production of military vehicles and race
cars) ceased production in 1967 and transferred all assets the following year
to a company known as Red Triangle, which was started by several former
employees and to this day is focused on parts, servicing and restoration of
existing Alvis cars.
However, Red
Triangle in 2009 sold the rights to the Alvis name and some of the intellectual
property to a new entity, the Alvis Car Company, which the following year
started churning out Alvis continuation cars, in some cases using original
chassis and engines stored safely for over 50 years.
The modern
Alvis has now extended its range of continuation cars. It is offering six body
styles based on two chassis, known as the 3-Litre and 4.3-Litre, with the cars
built according to original factory blueprints. The chassis names refer to the
engines they feature, in both cases naturally aspirated inline-6 units.
The cars
include both pre- and post-World War II cars, though only the post-war cars
feature original chassis. Those based on the 3-Litre chassis include the Park
Ward Drop Head, Graber Super Coupe and Graber Super Cabriolet, while those
based on the 4.3-Liter chassis include the Vanden Plas Tourer, Bertelli Coupe
and Lancefield Concealed Hood. The time it takes to build one of the cars can
stretch up to 5,000 hours.
“Our models
are, literally, what Alvis would have created had it not halted production for
over 50 years,” said Alan Stote, owner of the modern Alvis. “The factory had
planned to build 150 4.3-Litre chassis in 1938. As the site suffered serious
damage by bombing in 1940, only 73 chassis were completed so we will continue
that series, with new chassis, built to the original drawings.”
We should
point out that some changes have been implemented to meet modern emissions and
crash safety regulations. Some of the cars can also be ordered with automatic
transmissions, power steering, climate control, and audio systems. Buyers can
also opt for a three-piece Alvis luggage set lined in Connolly leather.
In an
interesting twist, Alvis has just signed a deal with Meiji Sangyo for
distribution of its continuation cars in Japan. The Tokyo-based company was the
same distributor for Alvis cars back in the 1950s.
The Alvis Car Company are manufacturing to
special order a limited number of famous Alvis models. They are faithful to the
original design and by using our Works Drawings from the period they retain all
their traditional character and quality, yet are emission compliant. The cars
carry Alvis chassis numbers and engine numbers which follow on from the last in
the model sequence, which is why they have been designated the Continuation
Series.
Meet the Alvis continuation series – a storied
name in British motoring history is back
The Alvis name is more than a century old yet you
can still order a factory-fresh model from its impressive back catalogue,
thanks to the survival of its unique archive
‘The Alvis name is known mostly only to car nerds.
People under 50 may have heard of it but won’t know much about it,’ concedes
Alan Stote, the current custodian of the Alvis name and the man behind its
revival. ‘I don’t think that’s a bad thing,’ he adds. ‘People are looking for
difference now. They want to be seen to have made an unusual choice.’
An Alvis is certainly an unusual choice given modern
sensibilities. However, it is more than this fabled difference that explains a
readiness to spend upwards of £325,000 on a hand-built ‘modern’ Alvis. The
newly revived company – which last built a car in 1967 – has so far made ten,
with two under construction and a third on order, enough to keep it busy until
sometime in 2026.
Established in 1919 by Thomas George John and renamed
the Alvis Car and Engineering Company in 1921, the firm evolved from making
engines and components to become a luxurious car maker, relying on
coachbuilders to create the bodywork for its innovative underpinnings. In its
heyday, it was said to rival the other major British luxury carmaker of the
time, Rolls-Royce. Among its most famous models in the 1930s were the exotic
art seco-era Bertelli Sports Coupe, the Vanden Plas Tourer and the Lancefield
Concealed Hood.
It was Alvis that invented the first independent front
suspension, the first front-wheel drive cars, and the first all-synchromesh
gearbox. The flying ace Douglas Bader drove an Alvis, as did Benjamin Britten
and the Duke of Edinburgh. And so, more recently, did auto parts entrepreneur
and pre-war car collector Stote.
After Alvis ceased production in 1967, there remained
a small repair and servicing business for its select owners. But what drew
Stote to acquire the name 30 years ago was a love of history and a desire to
preserve it: remarkably, Alvis’ archive was complete since inception and
remained in one place, in Kenilworth, near Coventry. That included not just
25,000 original engineering drawings but a large, mothballed inventory of
components, including over 30 complete and unused engines. The rebirth of Alvis
was plotted.
‘As repair and servicing jobs gradually got harder and
more complex [depending on what other mechanics had done to the cars over the
years], building a new car was in many ways easier and more predictable,
especially when you have all the components,’ Stote explains. ‘Other companies
have of course got into the business of completely remodelling vintage cars. I
concluded it had to be a better job if it was done by the original OEM.’
Stote stresses that the ‘new’ Alvis cars are not
rebuilds or replicas but are part of a new kind of 'continuation series', as he
calls it. Just don’t expect – like a new Rolls-Royce – the most high-tech of
vehicles; some of the new Alvis cars will still be powered by a 4.3 litre
in-line six-cylinder engine designed by the company in 1936.
Today, buyers can specify one of several continuation
models, spanning decades of Alvis’ history. From the 4.3 litre-powered Vanden
Plas Tourer to the smooth lines of the 1935 Bertelli Sports Coupe and the
Lancefield ‘concealed hood’ model, to the post-war Park Ward Drop Head Coupe
and Graber Coupe/Cabriolet, Alvis exists in a distinct and rarefied place,
hand-building new cars using the same methods as they used 90 years ago. ‘I’ve
been very pleased by the relaunch, but actually Alvis really made it easy for
me, because everything was already there,’ says Stote. ‘I just had to take it
on.’
Josh Sims
Josh Sims is a journalist contributing to the likes of
The Times, Esquire and the BBC. He's the author of many books on style,
including Retro Watches (Thames & Hudson).
For many years
Bladen has been a closely guarded secret for the select few, with
awareness (and occasional jacket) passed down from one generation to
another.
But finally the time
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equally discerning clientele.
Bladen first caught
the attention of the well heeled gentry in the final years of the
Great War, in 1917.
Established by two
brothers, William and Arthur Bladen, the company originally supplied
riding wear to the country classes. Quality was always the watchword
as the label grew, with jackets, breeches and cavalry twills made
from the finest cloth the British Isles had to offer.
Today that quality
is still what makes Bladen so special, with details and designs that
continue to delight.
Now under the
custodianship of Wensum Tailoring, the Bladen brand is available to
discerning clientele through a growing network of gentleman’s
outfitters.
With the highest
standards of traditional craftsmanship, meticulous attention to
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Thankfully.
CRAFTSMANSHIP
One cannot hurry
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For those fascinated
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Linings are in satin
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All our trousers
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We are especially
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Brought
to you by JEEVES, TWEEDLAND ( Image: JEEVES IN PARIS, some years ago )
Pytchley
hacking jackets are considered iconic, vintage British equestrian garments,
highly regarded for their quality, tailoring, and durability in country sports.
Renowned for producing top-tier tweed jackets and riding coats, the Pytchley
brand has long been a favorite among traditional country equestrian customers,
often compared to esteemed makers like Harry Hall.
Origins
and Heritage
Equestrian
Roots: The hacking jacket itself (or "hack") originated in the
18th/19th century as a practical coat for informal pleasure riding, distinct
from formal hunting attire.
Pytchley's
Role: Pytchley established itself as a premier tailor for these garments,
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Vintage
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Key
Features of Pytchley Jackets
Hard-Wearing
Material: Known for using durable, often thornproof, tweed fabric.
Tailored
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Details: Some Pytchley jackets are known for unique touches, such as grey
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Tailoring
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For those looking
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This specimen was
found in a Vintage shop where he pleaded to be recognized and rescued from
Oblivion.
Greetings JEEVES
( António Sérgio Rosa de Carvalho )
Pytchley
Tweeds
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These
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The
"New Preppy" style in 2026 blends traditional 1980s Ivy League
aesthetics with modern, looser silhouettes, emphasizing sustainable, durable,
and comfortable clothing. Key trends include layering vests over T-shirts,
oversized fits, cricket jumpers, and mixing high-end pieces with vintage finds.
It's a return to classic, timeless prep.
Key Elements
of Modern Preppy Style
Silhouettes:
Moves away from "twee" and tight fits to more relaxed, 1990s-inspired
Polo and J.Crew styles.
Key Items:
Polo shirts, rugby shirts, cricket jumpers, blouson jackets, high-rise chinos,
and tailored, unstructured suits.
Colors &
Patterns: Traditional pastel colors (pink and green), alongside navy blue,
argyle prints, and classic madras.
Accessories:
Niche baseball caps (e.g., from resorts or tennis tournaments) and leather
loafers.
Brands:
Continued relevance of staples like Lacoste, J. Crew, and Ralph Lauren.
The
Evolution of the "Handbook"
While Lisa
Birnbach’s original Official Preppy Handbook (1980) defined the WASP elite, the
modern iteration is more inclusive, focusing on personal style rather than
status. The style is increasingly defined by a
"casual-yet-put-together" look. The "new" prep is
influenced by the "Ivy Style" movement, which emphasizes a timeless,
comfortable approach to fashion.
A few
nights ago, Paul Stuart — the 88-year-old brand known for its classic, high-end
Ivy Prep styles — hosted the launch party for Dozer Presents: The New Prep, a
preppy handbook project from Dozer Magazine founder Justinian Mason.
The New
Prep is a general issue featuring Preppy Pete, a NYC-based fashion influencer,
while The New Preppy Handbook is a more curated, NYC-focused edition,
reminiscent of 2nd, a Japanese magazine that created their own version in 2023.
Both sell for $35.
We all
rejoiced when prep made a huge showing on the Spring 2026 runways — from
higher-end designers: among them Thom Browne, Tory Burch, Miu Miu and Celine
(where it’s been said Michael Rider is “rewriting the Preppy Handbook”) to our
beloved heritage brands: all hail Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, Brooks Brothers and
the revitalized J. Press under the preppy tutelage of its new Creative
Director/President (formerly of Rowing Blazers), Jack Carlson.
As
someone who bought Lisa Birnbach’s original book in October 1980 and still
treasures the dog-eared copy, I was initially conflicted about the remaking of
the book. Prep is personal. Cultural. It’s more than nostalgia or recycled
trends.
But what
strikes a chord about modern-day prep — and this new iteration of the book— is
that it reinforces prep is not a uniform that requires a pedigree; it’s an even
broader vocabulary. Prep has always signaled identity, taste and values. How we
are interpreting it now, adapting the styles and weaving them into our chaotic
lives, is something quieter: how we see ourselves.
As Tommy
Hilfiger, who has been redefining the preppy aesthetic for decades, has said:
“I think
preppy stands for optimism, confidence, energy and authenticity.”
Ralph
Lauren has echoed this sentiment:
“People
ask …does it have to do with class and money? It has to do with dreams.”
These
iconic designers point to the same idea: Prep isn’t about where we came from,
but about where we are going.
I believe
this so wholeheartedly, it’s the essence of my fashion essay collection: what
we wear shapes who we are—and who we’re becoming. Fashion is not about external
validation but rather our internal compass. True, often raw emotions —grief,
pride, fear, courage and more — are so often managed in what we choose to wear.
And in
this moment of social, political and economic uncertainty, Prep offers
something steady—structure, stability, a sense of order. But unlike retro
trends that merely recycle the past (the 90s might over-indexing currently
wouldn’t you say?), modern prep is more self-aware and more open. It honors
tradition while allowing for individuality, blending history with the realities
of how we actually live now.
So, pop
your collar. Or don’t. The point isn’t perfection (it’s taken me decades to say
this with conviction) but perspective. The best prep looks reflect how we move
through the world — and the optimism we hold onto.
