‘I had to do it’: Top Aussie designer’s move for success
As Netflix’s hit series Emily in Paris returns for a new season, costume designer Marylin Fitoussi has embraced a significant shift by moving aspects of the show's fashion narrative to Italy. Following initial cultural backlash in France over the main character's loud, maximalist wardrobe, Fitoussi found a much more receptive environment where she says locals understand the wardrobe is "about breaking rules and having fun."
Reflecting on the polarising response to her bold styling choices for Lily Collins' character, Emily Cooper, Fitoussi defended the audacious aesthetic as a mark of success. "She looks spectacular, or hideous; it needs to be punchy," she noted. While a future sixth season of Emily in Paris has not yet been confirmed, Fitoussi remains hopeful she will continue to develop her vision of French chic combined with a spicy Cooper touch—even teasing plans for a future understated grey John Galliano for Dior skirt suit to win over critics.
The show's global footprint and cultural prominence were recently highlighted when French President Emmanuel Macron named series creator Darren Star a knight of the legion of honour, marking a major milestone for the production despite its early Parisian backlash.
