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Emmy-nominated costume designer Marylin Fitoussi has been working on the looks for Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” since Season 1.
Many of Fitoussi’s choices for the most reason season were dictated by one key element: Emily’s
sharp bob. The haircut symbolized a new chapter for the character — played by Lily Collins — and allowed her to go further and bolder with her fashion choices.
Fitoussi has outfitted Collins in chic and romantic silhouettes using vintage finds, bold prints and high-end designer pieces. But this season saw a shift toward a bolder Emily, with looks inspired by Italian aesthetics, signature prints, bold block colors and more black. “She’s not so focused on the business jobs. She’s focused on achieving something at a personal level, and she’s not hiding,” Fitoussi says.
One standout item for Fitoussi was the bold red blazer Emily wears at the end of Season 5. It was a statement piece designed by Barbara Bui. Fitoussi explains, “It was a manifesto,” and she wanted audiences be shocked by it. “It was a strong silhouette, and we wanted to say, ‘Look at me, I’m not shy of anything. I’m ready to take the future for whatever it will be. What I’m showing you at this moment is a confident, strong woman who is not hiding behind girl stuff.’”
Fitoussi spent the season searching for the perfect costume and eventually found it, though not before coming across pieces that were “too wrong, or too empowering,” she says. “I wanted this poppy red. It’s nothing to do with blood, or too strong, or being too aggressive. It was joyful.”
The red blazer also reflected Emily’s evolving relationship with Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), Emily’s mentor. “She learned a lot from Sylvie. In the beginning, red was a restricted color; in a certain way, it belonged to Sylvie. So she decided also to go one step beyond and to adopt the color — the prohibited color. It was also a sign of confidence. And she said, ‘OK, whatever will happen to me, I’m deciding to do that, to take the private color from my boss.’”
Fitoussi earned an Emmy nomination for her work on Episode 10, which features Emily attending Venice Fashion Week. The idea for the fashion show came from Darren Star, the show’s creator, and he drew inspiration from the Palio di Siena, a bareback horse race that showcases colors representing the city wards. “He said, ‘Marilyn, you have to design a collection which is a mix of Palio di Siena and Polo Ralph Lauren,'” Fitoussi remembers.
Fitoussi had three weeks to research and create the designs. “I’m a patchwork lover, so I did a lot of that. And I thought the ‘Singing in the Rain’ tribute was a beautiful tribute to French, American and Italian cultures.” Fitoussi adds that the pastels and soft colors ultimately created “a subtle Venetian palette.”
