Au revoir, Paris, and ciao, Italia. In Season 5 of Darren Star’s series Emily in Paris, marketing maven Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) leaves behind the banks of the Seine for the cobblestone streets of Rome and the canals of Venice. In doing so, she enters a new fashion era, expertly crafted by two-time Emmy-nominated costume designer Marylin Fitoussi. “We said to ourselves, ‘If we’re filming in Italy, then let’s pay tribute to one of Italy’s finest assets: Italian cinema,’’ says the costume designer.  “I’ve always been quite a fan of Italian cinema. I loved Silvana Mangano, Anna Magnani, Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale: All these women embody a celebration of femininity, drama, and glamour.”

The designer has helmed all five seasons of the hit series, creating a bold, fashion-forward main character with Collins. “Lily and I have succeeded in developing this character, in making it meaningful, giving it depth and personality, ensuring it is never boring,” says Fitoussi. Much of the inspiration that goes into Emily’s style comes from the leading lady herself. “Lily is my Audrey Hepburn,” Fitoussi shares. “She’s classy, so graceful. The clothes are never ordinary on her. Since Season 1, she understands every kind of crazy concept, and she’s so supportive.” 

For Emily, Fitoussi has always leaned into bright, daring colors, intelligent pattern mixing, and high-contrast pairings to craft a character that fans worldwide emulate. “I hope this show can encourage girls to express themselves and not hide themselves,” she says. “Show people, tell the world, ‘Here I am!’ It’s about distancing yourself from trends and from the rules imposed by fashion. Let’s dress in clothes that we think are beautiful, interesting, that enhance us, arrest us, move us, all while freeing ourselves from all the rules.” 

Fitoussi, who recently published her book Emily in Paris: The Fashion Guide, opened up Emily’s Italian closet to share the process of bringing television’s favorite trend-breaker and setter into a new era and design language. 

Year of the Bob

When Fitoussi saw Emily’s sleek new bob, it immediately changed how she thought about styling for the character in Season 5. “For me, it’s like a new book, a new chapter. It’s a blank page. I can renew myself.” This meant new silhouettes, new inspiration, and new designers. 

One look that hinged on the new do was the brown-and-white print Diane von Furstenberg jumpsuit that Emily wears at the end of episode 2. “We love Diane, and I think her designs never age,” says Fitoussi. “The silhouette is completely timeless. A little bit of ’70s revival print and big sunglasses, while the bob was short and modern. With long, wavy hair, it wouldn’t have been possible. You can feel she’s very in control and she’s natural, beautiful.” 

The Vespa Dilemma 

In season 5, Emily unveils more couture surprises, from flat shoes to more trousers. “We are not used to seeing Emily in shorts,” Fitoussi says. The biggest influence on the newfound love of shorts and trousers? “I didn’t know if she was going to drive a scooter or not!” Fitoussi was considering the practical transport implications of the new city, from impromptu rides on the back of a Vespa with her love interest Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) to the uneven cobblestone streets. “For Darren, too, it was, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s in flat shoes!’ ” Fitoussi laughs. 

However, one look that Collins insisted on pairing with heels was the vintage-inspired jacquard, turquoise Huishan Zhang dress and coat in Episode 3. “It was a long night of filming walking on stones, up, down, everything,” recalls Fitoussi. Though flat shoes were offered, Collins opted for Aquazzura heels. “I love Lily for that resilience. When she has something in mind, she’s fearless and strong.” 

The Red Rose of Rome 

“Emily is really blooming in Rome. She’s decided to stay in Rome not for work, but for love,” Fitoussi says. The costume designer wove that romance into Emily’s fashion narrative through the use of floral prints — most boldly, pairing the crisp shirt and shorts in a red-rose print that Emily wears when visiting Fendi for a pitch meeting. 

The idea of the blooming rose was inspired by a gift from Collins to the costume designer. “At the end of season 4, Lily offered me a crystal rose and said, ‘Because you make me bloom as a flower.’ I thought that was a beautiful metaphor for the Roman parts, where she’s deeply in love and as joyful as she can be.” 

Romance Is in the Air and in Style

By the end of the season, Emily is in love with Marcello and floating down the canals of Venice, but she’s also facing decisions that will alter her relationship and future. One of Fitoussi’s favorite outfits that captures Emily’s fairytale: the Mary Katrantzou floral dress on the Venetian gondola where Nico (Paul Forman) proposes to Mindy (Ashley Park). “For the end of the season, we have these soft, very romantic 1950s silhouettes. Every element is poetic,” says Fitoussi. “We matched the colors of Venice.” 

Wearing the Mood 

Fans who want to emulate Emily’s style should consider Fitoussi’s own perspective. “Everything happening to you in your life influences the way you dress,” she says. “Sometimes we are in a good mood, sometimes we want to disappear. I don’t think we need to have a singular style. In real life, we can be as many characters as we want.” 

Emily embodies that ethos, especially in Season 5, playing with different silhouettes and influences as she makes her way through Italy. “She’s showing care of the situation through the way she’s dressed, while breaking rules and expressing herself,” Fitoussi notes. 

The change of scenery deepened Emily’s relationship with fashion, using clothes not just to stand out, but to reflect on where she is, who she loves, and who she’s becoming. With Emily ultimately leaving Italy at the end of the season, she’ll no doubt continue that journey of self-discovery. Fitoussi is already thinking about where she’ll take the character next. “Now the challenge is to renew ourselves,” she says. “What have I done? What have I not yet done? That is the most beautiful challenge: to see what is next. And the best is yet to come.”