What: Rinascente is staging a major takeover themed around The Devil Wears Prada 2, transforming its Milan flagship with immersive installations, exclusive merchandise, and cross-industry collaborations.

Why it is important: This initiative highlights how department stores are leveraging cultural and cinematic collaborations to create immersive, experiential destinations that drive footfall and brand differentiation.

Rinascente’s Milan flagship is undergoing a dramatic transformation to celebrate the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, with the entire store façade, windows, and interior spaces dedicated to the film’s iconic imagery and themes. The activation includes large-scale installations, such as four-metre-high red stilettos, immersive displays inspired by the movie’s editorial universe, and a series of events culminating in the Italian premiere. Exclusive merchandise, including a limited-edition T-shirt capsule featuring memorable quotes, is available in-store, while collaborations with brands like Samsung, Starbucks, and Moët & Chandon extend the experience across multiple categories. This large-scale, narrative-driven takeover positions Rinascente as a cultural platform, engaging customers across generations and reinforcing its role as a destination for creativity, fashion, and entertainment. By aligning the activation with Milan Design Week, Rinascente maximises visibility and footfall, demonstrating the commercial and branding power of immersive, cross-industry collaborations in today’s retail landscape.

IADS Notes: Rinascente’s large-scale takeover for The Devil Wears Prada 2 exemplifies the growing trend of department stores transforming into immersive, experiential destinations through cultural and cinematic collaborations. Galeries Lafayette Haussmann’s March 2026 contemporary art exhibition, curated by Maurizio Cattelan in partnership with Centre Pompidou-Metz, brought art directly into the retail environment, engaging international tourists and reinforcing the store’s modern relevance (BeauxArts, March 2026). This approach is echoed by Le Bon Marché and Galeries Lafayette, which have positioned themselves as cultural destinations by hosting major art exhibitions and collaborations with leading artists and museums, blending commerce with culture to foster deeper customer engagement (Le Figaro, March 2026). Bloomingdale’s September 2025 artist-led flagship transformation and Harrods’ December 2025 partnership with Brunello Cucinelli further illustrate how immersive installations, exclusive collaborations, and narrative-driven activations are redefining the role of department stores as platforms for creativity, culture, and community (WWD, September 2025; Fashion Network, December 2025). These initiatives highlight the strategic value of integrating art, entertainment, and experiential marketing to differentiate brands, attract diverse audiences, and generate excitement around retail environments.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 takes over Rinascente