It is also about a woman winning over her colleagues, making friends, and navigating new romances
Love, beauty, and passion, those are the things Darren Star’s latest romantic fantasy Emily in Paris promises. The TV director and producer, known for his iconic (and stylish) shows Sex and the City (SATC) and Younger, brings the ultimate American girl-in-Paris tale that fashion savants and modern romantics shouldn’t miss.
Streaming on Netflix, the show invites everyone to say bonjour to Emily Cooper (portrayed by actress Lily Collins), an ambitious 20-something marketing executive from Chicago, who unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris when her firm acquires a French luxury marketing company. Talking about a life a million girls would want, Emily’s time in Paris is filled with intoxicating adventures, fantastic wardrobe, and c’est la vie challenges.
Ditching those morning bagels with croissants and NYC’s street-chic looks with Parisian finesse, Star’s new show could easily be just another SATC only set in a new, beloved city. But as revealed in its trailer, the show will bring more than just a story of a wide-eyed girl dressed in the finest clothes in the epicenter of fashion.
It’s a trip to Paris
Who doesn’t love the City of Lights? With our longtime home confinement, we are in dire need of a new view—and Paris fits the bill. The show is a visual tour of the significant places in France’s capital city. From its historical destinations and best foodie hotspots to the must-visit Eiffel Tower, let the show inspire you to create the best Paris itinerary.
“Television is much like cinema now and filming in Paris was important,” Star says to Variety. “We really made the shots look big. It’s shot more like a film than a TV series.”
Diverse casting
Unlike Carrie Bradshaw’s time in New York filled with white peeps, Emily in Paris features a much diverse cast. Along with Collins are Ashley Park (Mean Girls on Broadway, Tales of the City) Philippine Leroy Beaulieu (Call My Agent!), Lucas Bravo (Smart Ass), Samuel Arnold (Antony & Cleopatra), Camille Razat (The 15:17 to Paris), and Bruno Gouery (Doc Martin). Recurring cast includes Kate Walsh (The Umbrella Academy), William Abadie (Resident Evil: Extinction), and Arnaud Viard (Clara et Moi).
‘It’s a dream for any young gal to find herself in Paris—first Carrie Bradshaw, now Emily Cooper. Paris is a fashion dream, and I think that women who love fashion can feel that in the city.’
Patricia Field
Lady on a mission
Women stepping up (in fantastic heels) is always at the center of Star’s storytelling, Emily in Paris will also play on that theme. As an American consultant to a French brand, the show’s heroine is bringing issues to discuss to the table, such as sexism, not just in fashion and media, but also across different cultures.
“ not fully embraced by some of the French ,” Star says. “She’s an American girl who comes to France and doesn’t speak any French, she has opinions about how to do things, but finds out ‘the American way is the best’ doesn't always hold true and she makes a lot of faux pas.”
Okay, the costumes are also TDF
With Patricia Field, costume designer for SATC and The Devil Wears Prada, on board, Emily is set to have great fashion moments just like the other female leads of Star’s shows. Expect bold ensembles, mixed and matched prints, designer pairings, and nothing less.
“It’s a dream for any young gal to find herself in Paris—first Carrie Bradshaw, now Emily Cooper,” says Patricia. “Paris is a fashion dream, and I think that women who love fashion can feel that in the city.”