The ‘Emily In Paris’ Costume Designer On Putting Together Those Epic Looks

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For Emily In Paris costume designer, Marylin Fitoussi, she likes to lead with her intuition when creating those the incredible looks the actors wear on the Netflix hit series.

“I’m just following my feelings,” Fitoussi said.

From an early age, Fitoussi was always interested in fashion, spending her holidays searching through vintage clothes in her grandmother’s attic.

“I was lucky enough to have a grandmother who has an attic and she was collecting her own clothes from the 40s to the 50s,” Fitoussi said.

For the latest episode of the Who What Wear Podcast, Fitoussi shares her process for putting together those epic outfits on Emily In Paris, how she landed her big break in the industry, and more.

For excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.

I’d love to hear how you got into the costuming side of the fashion industry.
When I was a kid, I just wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things.

I was lucky enough to have a grandmother who has an attic and she was collecting her own clothes from the 40s to the 50s.

When I was on holiday, I spent all my time in an attic, dressing myself, inventing these stories.

It’s at this point that I understood that you can tell stories with clothes.

And the French television back in the 70s for New Year’s Eve, you have a show, the Moulin Rouge show, where you can see those beautiful dancer and creature dancing with sequins, furs, huge earrings.

I wanted to be part of this world. That was the trigger of my vocation and of my career, those two things.

I know you study runways and big collections to understand the current trends. Then you choose which key trend moments you want to incorporate in your costuming and which ones you want to avoid. What was your process like for season four?
I’m just following my feelings. I’m just following a script, sometimes, when I’m lucky enough to have a script previously that I can study.

I know also the personality of all my cast. We became really close now. I know what’s flattering for their body. I know what is right for the character also.

It’s much more easy for me. I know also which kind of silhouette I have done, which kind of silhouette is still for me to fit it and try on.

I just let my imagination and try to be very open minded and to be creative and say, “Okay, let’s do something unusual.”

I’m my first client and the first watcher of this show. I don’t want to be bored, myself.

If you had to describe Emily’s style, if you were to attach a word to it, for each season, what those words would be?
Maybe we can say that season one was break the rules, was maybe outrageous.

Season two was eclectic. Season three, I would say bold. Maybe season four, elevated, if it makes sense.

Depends on the country. Maybe in France they’re still thinking that it’s very outrageous. I’m sure they do.

With season five renewed, what are you most excited to explore when it comes to more Italian fashion for season five?
I didn’t think about that, because we received the news two days ago, but I will try maybe to focus only on Italian designer.

If I can, in archives. I’m dying to visit Gucci archives, if it’s possible. Valentino archives, too.

Maybe to have some custom made and to pay probably another tribute to Roberto Capucci, who was the inspiration for the Italian poster.

I want to give a very Italian identity, probably also be inspired by Italian 50s black and white movies.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Next, check out our tips on making your first big watch purchase.