'Emily in Paris' season 4 outfits: Costume designer teases 'French will love and hate' them

Emily in Paris. (L to R) Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie Grateau, Lily Collins as Emily in episode 308 of Emily in Paris
(Image credit: Marie Etchegoyen/Netflix)

There are several things that "Emily in Paris" fans can expect from every season of the Netflix dramedy: stunning French scenery, entertaining romantic hijinks and, of course, all of the designer fashion. Marketing pro Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) and her merry band of Parisians are regularly outfitted in straight-from-the-runway fits that, yes, are far more fantastical than anything we'd wear to the office. 

And, per the show's costume designer Marylin Fitoussi, there will be even more memorable sartorial moments where that came from when "Emily in Paris" season 4 hits Netflix later this week. 

(As with the streamer's other titles like "Bridgerton" and "Stranger Things," the fourth season will be split into two parts: the first five episodes will premiere on August 15, with five more to follow on September 12.) 

Fitoussi — who, alongside famed stylist Patricia Field, was nominated for Excellence in Contemporary Television at the Costume Designers Guild Awards in 2021 for her costuming work on "Emily in Paris" — recently chatted with The Guardian about not only the inspiration behind the clothes for the popular series but also to viewer criticisms about the over-the-top wardrobes of Emily, her boss Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), her BFF Mindy (Ashley Park) and the rest of the cast. 

“Do you want to see H&M clothes on screen? Do you want to see 25-buck jeans and hoodies that you can afford? Honestly, I don’t," Fitoussi told the outlet. "This show is made to be entertainment. I’m a costume designer. I need to fuel your imagination. Showing reality as it is is boring for everybody. Don’t watch a show. Just watch your neighbour and yourself.”

In newly dropped photos from the upcoming fourth season, fans can see Emily and Co. in all manner of theatrical garb, from masquerade masks to faux-fur hats and striped bodysuits to sequined gowns. And Fitoussi is already well-prepared for audience reaction to the clothes, especially from viewers hailing from the show's home country. 

“I’m sure the French will love and hate [this season’s sartorial offerings]. And that’s the point. That is all the point. It’s to make them cry again and again and again," she joked.

Fitoussi also quipped that unlike French cinema, which is "all about reality: three people, bored and depressed, drinking alcohol in a room," she's drawn to the whimsy and wonder of fantasy. "When someone says to me, ‘I don’t care about reality, let’s make people dream’, I love that.’”

You'll be able to see all of the high-fashion ensembles that Fitoussi and the costume team have put together when "Emily in Paris" season 4 part 1 hits Netflix on August 15. Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all fourth-season intel, including behind-the-scenes tidbits, actor insights, character descriptions, on-set photos and costuming details. In the meantime, you can catch up with Emily, Gabriel, Alfie and the rest of the very well-dressed Paris crew by rewatching the show's first three seasons with a Netflix subscription.

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Christina Izzo
Writer

Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, food and drink, travel and general lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York.