‘Emily in Paris’ costume designer: “Fashion is not serious, so have fun with it”

We were right in the middle of the loungewear era when we first got acquainted with Emily Cooper and her maximalist style. It was almost like we were watching someone in a parallel universe, where one could wear the highest pair of heels while walking to work or show up to work in a large ruffle dress that may look more apt for a fashion event. But as a show, Emily in Paris has never been about blending in…or practicality; for that, we have reality.

Emily in Paris gives us a visual of this young character, full of zest, making decisions both right and wrong. She isn’t one with a subdued personality, and her looks—with a mix of patterns, textures, and fabrics—weren’t shying away from attention either. Over the past few years, the French have pointed out how this isn’t Parisian fashion and that they prefer minimalism over maximalism, especially in their everyday lives. But Emily is not French, and her Ladurée-hued outfits probably pay homage to the macaroon-loving people, which if you ask the locals, is possibly a little too much. But here she is, being herself—an American girl in Paris, dressed in outfits that come from her heart and not a trend report or a ‘What to wear in Paris’ guide. 

We caught up with Marylin Fitoussi, the woman behind the sartorial choices in Emily in Paris, to talk about the fashion in the show. Fitoussi, who is quite comfortable with her creativity, articulates the idea behind the costumes in the show stating, “It’s not just about the fashion; it’s about being totally free to create clothes that build the characters and dress them in a unique but interesting way. Whether that is what makes fashion or not, I just hope it’s something interesting to watch.”

From the conversation, one can tell Fitoussi’s fashion ideology aligns perfectly with Emily in Paris as it’s everything that the show stands for. It’s about not giving two hoots about the terms or trends dictated by the world. “Wear glitter or bright pink at 9 am even if everybody in the metro in Paris is dressed in black. Fashion is not serious, so have fun with it. Wear clothes that make you feel confident; a woman looks most beautiful when she’s confident in what she’s wearing. Even if 100 people think your outfit is ugly, if you like it, just wear it!”

When you dress according to your personal growth and not what’s in, your style tends to evolve with time. We’ve seen it happen in Emily in Paris where Mindy Kaling’s style evolves as well. “I’m following a story where she was a nanny in the first season. Of course, I need to grow with the character and with the story. So it’s a constant dialogue with the actors as we build those characters together.” Fitoussi also points out how, during the process, it’s hard to tell if the audiences will be able to pick on the character’s evolution through these nuanced changes in their style. Nonetheless, for them, it’s all about putting in the work.

In fact, the fourth season of Emily in Paris is all set to exhibit some outfits from Indian designers such as Manish Arora and Gaurav Gupta, and we can’t wait to see how that unfolds! Fitoussi talks about Indian fashion saying, “I love it, you know—the colours, the embellishments! I really fell in love with Manish (Arora) even before I even met him. He’s very generous and has a beautiful place that makes you believe you are in India, even if you are in Paris.” While she hasn’t had the chance to meet Gaurav Gupta yet, she claims to love “the architecture and the volume” of his outfits. So much so, that she tells us that a character (without revealing the name) from the show will be dressed in a gorgeous red number from Gupta.

 

And what’s it like working with Lily Collins? “(After all this while) we know each other quite well. She's super professional, knows fashion, and is open-minded. We can easily discuss how to help the character evolve through fashion. ” 

 

With the new season releasing on August 15, there is so much to look forward to—the liberating style, the evolution of each character, and most importantly, seeing the characters don stunning outfits by Indian designers! 

All images: Netflix

Also read: All the deets about 'Emily In Paris' Season 4 

Also read: What your favourite female character says about your personality