In short
Marylin Fitoussi, costume designer for Emily in Paris, discusses creating and opening their book Emily in Paris: The Fashion Guide, and how fashion functions as a character in the show. She credits Darren Star’s shared vision and chemistry with her, Lily, and the cast, describing the collaboration as a “symphony.”
Key claims
style starts when fears end; readers should break rules, be bold, and use fashion to express individuality (“You are your own costume designer”). She frames the book as “dopamine” and an alternative to selfies: “books were the best accessories,” fueling imagination.
Notable examples
avoiding trends, choosing unexpected pieces, and embracing French backlash as inspiration (“if it’s tacky… next season I’m going to make your eyes bleed”).
Guests
Marylin Fitoussi; host Alex Assouline.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOCreating the Fashion Guide
0:45 to 1:40
Discover the unexpected process behind the creation of 'Emily in Paris: The Fashion Guide'.
“and we were sparkling, it was a firework, and I loved the energy, and for me, the best adventure.”
Fashion as a Form of Expression
1:40 to 2:20
Explore the philosophy of fashion as self-expression and breaking rules.
“Just to be free, just to show people that we can break any rules.”
Reactions to the Show and Bold Choices
2:20 to 3:00
Hear about the bold fashion choices and reactions from the Parisian audience.
“I know that the French people were very opinionated.”
The Dream Job and Future Aspirations
3:00 to 3:30
Marylin shares her lifelong passion for fashion and her optimistic outlook.
“Yeah, I try to find interesting pieces, unexpected, and to avoid all the trend that I think it's...”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:02Books were the best accessories ever, so less selfie and more books. Books is fuel for your imagination.
0:11Alex Assouline:Hello, I'm Alex Assouline. I'm excited to be here with Marylin Fitoussi, the costume designer of the TV show Emily in Paris, to go beyond the cover of our new book, Emily in Paris, The Fashion Guide. We're extremely proud to have done this book together. And I want to know a bit about what was the process for you, how was it like to open this book? The process for the book was completely unexpected. I think I dream about it and Asulin did it. And the book, the book it's created us really as a family, you know, a community. and we were sparkling, it was a firework, and I loved the energy, and for me, the best adventure.
0:57Alex Assouline:People will definitely be inspired by the amazing, fearless world you created. You worked a lot with Darren Star as well, so in the show, but also in the book. How was the process working with him so much, especially on the book? We are united as a family now. He's someone creative, he's someone with a vision. We share the love for the romantic comedy, for joyful costume, colorful costume, when you have chemistry. And when this chemistry happened between him, me, Lily and the cast, yeah, now it's a symphony that we are able to play with. We took the angle of fashion and called it the fashion guide.
1:39Alex Assouline:What message do you want to convey people from that? Just to be free, just to show people that we can break any rules. I think style begins when fears end. You are your own costume designer. And when you are not dressed like anybody else, you don't think like anybody else. You can be inspired at every moment. Make fashion funny, joyful, express yourself, be bold, be brave, dare, think big, think pink. I think this one can be a kind of dopamine book. Can this be a fashion accessory? Books were the best accessories ever. So less selfies and more books. Books is fuel for your imagination. I know that the French people were very opinionated.
2:36Alex Assouline:Had a strong reaction to the show. Parisian people were shocked. It made me laugh. It was different. It was bold. And I love that. And I say, oh, if for you it's tacky and hideous, next season I'm going to make your eyes bleed, because I can go further. So I love that. And I really see that you put clothing as another character as well on the show. And that's what's really striking. Yeah, I try to find interesting pieces, unexpected, and to avoid all the trend that I think it's... And that was a good advice from Patricia Field. You explored so much in the fashion perspective, in the show. It's the dream job that I really wanted since I'm five years old.
3:21Every day, I say, the best is yet to come. So I'm ready.
3:25Alex Assouline:We're extremely proud to have done this book together. Thank you so much, Alex, for having me.
From the publisher
In this episode of the Beyond the Cover, Alex Assouline sits down with Marylin Fitoussi, the Emily in Paris costume designer, proclaims: “Books are the best accessories ever. So, less selfies and more books.”
For more inspiration, head to assouline.com, where culture meets luxury. To learn more about Emily in Paris: The Fashion Guide, visit assouline.com/products/emily-in-paris-the-fashion-guide.
