Stylish Interview with Marylin Fitoussi, Stylist of Emily In Paris
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The fashion universe of the hit series Emily in Paris, it is she who created it.
As the filming of season 3 is about to begin, Marilyn Fitoussi granted us an interview to talk about her work. The stylist, who attended the Louvre School, handles colors and extravagant outfits that have contributed to the success of the series.
No spoilers for season 3, which will be released on Netflix soon, but fashion, nothing but fashion to immerse ourselves in the dazzling world of Emily in Paris.
Do you already have costume ideas when reading the script for season 3 of Emily in Paris?
We receive the scripts three weeks before filming, so we have to anticipate.
Now, we know the series and the actors well, we know that there will be openings, parties, office scenes, jogging, brunch with friends, dates…
I’m going to watch all the fashion shows, see the pieces that inspire me, and that will help me tell this new season of Emily in Paris.
I think we’ll stay in this colorful, eclectic silhouette. Emily won’t transform into a real Parisian with a blazer, jeans, and a t-shirt, that would disappoint everyone, you wouldn’t want to see that.
Was it your wish to keep Emily in Paris’ clothing style extravagant and vibrant?
People want to continue seeing things that disturb them, bother them, please them, that can criticize, adore, adore criticizing, reproduce. Going back to a formatted and normal silhouette would be a sign of boredom. Do we want to see this series to see everyday outfits? No, we want to dream, to see women perfectly coiffed, made up from 10 am, in high heels and tight dresses.
That’s what made the success of Sex And The City and what Darren Star wanted to keep. The characters never changed their style, but evolved with the fashion of the moment.
How would you define the style of season 3 of Emily in Paris?
The writing of the season began in early March, so it’s still very recent.
Darren is someone very surprising and he always has some surprises up his sleeve, so if he takes us on a trip, we go with him!
In season 2, we learned a few days before that we were going to Saint Tropez.
The scripts are distributed once they are finished and they are constantly being rewritten.
I have the desire to always keep an eclectic and colorful side for Emily.
I’m working on a new series from the 50s, and I’m quite inspired by the cinema of the Nouvelle Vague at the moment. Unconsciously, will I also reproduce 50s or 60s silhouettes? I don’t know.
I have a very physical, carnal relationship with fabrics. It is often fabrics that inspire me.
I have a phobia of solid fabrics that panic me.
Does working with fashion consultant Patricia Field, who is American, bring a new dynamic? Maybe a little less conventional?
Yes, of course, it brings a very interesting dynamic and a new point of view because Americans have their own vision of chic. I learned a lot from Patricia and Darren Star. They taught me to make fun of reality.
Here’s an anecdote I can tell you: When I discovered the character of Mindy (Ashley Park), an au pair in Paris, in the script of the first season. In her first scene, she is in a park with the children she takes care of. I dressed her in an oversized hoody, shorts because she has beautiful legs, and a pair of sneakers, even though they were fashionable, they were big sneakers because, according to reality, that’s what a young girl would wear to run after kids. When they saw this silhouette, Patricia and Darren looked at each other and said, “what is this?” Already, oversized is a bit complicated, and above all, I learned with them that fashion doesn’t necessarily have to represent reality in series. It was a great lesson and a great liberation. I would never have done that on a French series, for example. People criticized Emily at first, saying that she arrived with two small suitcases, she changed outfits and handbags every day. We don’t care. With what she earns, how can she have so many Chanels? We don’t care. I learned to trust myself. Darren knows his audience and he likes to make romantic comedies, they like the world to be idealized, which suits me perfectly. I had to understand this vision.
I had to adopt their codes and it was good because it also enriched my aesthetic vocabulary.
How did Lily Collins react to the outfits?
She is very professional, even if she has doubts at first, she trusts and tries. When I proposed the all-pink look, she looked at me and said, “are you sure? that’s a lot of pink.” “If you need to embrace a color, go for it,” I replied.
She tried it and she loved it! Lily adds her own style to bring more subtleties to her character.
A few words about the character of Camille?
I love Camille because she is drastically opposed to Emily. It’s very fun to be able to work on these two extremes.
On one hand, with Emily, I allow myself all freedoms and on the other hand, with Camille, we work with smaller brands like Maison Pierre in Paris, Danish, Finnish and Swedish designers. I like to propose new designers who are not yet known, because there is talent everywhere.
Camille has a great sense of costume, she loves fashion a lot and she has her own style desires. We are looking for more minimalist but interesting looks.
For me, it’s a real exercise in style because I also know how to do more chic characters like Sylvie, played by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu.
The characters are so characterized that all of this remains very readable.
I’m having a lot of fun because I have all styles to offer.
Follow fashion by watching the new season of Emily in Paris on Netflix.
