Emily in Paris: Lily Collins ditches kitsch for finesse in 1956 nine skirts gown

The world is halfway through the first installment of Emily in Paris’ fourth season with long-standing patrons of the show gearing up for a (hopeful) resolution for what most have described as a mindless mess thus far, come September 12. Heralding the same hopefulness, is a fresh poster shared by the makers of the series which features a dainty Emily perched on some stone steps against picturesque Paris. More than Emily and speculations over how the haywire plot may proceed, her rose-coded gown has taken centre-stage and with good reason.
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While Emily’s evolution over the 4 seasons of the series is a passion-ridden rabbit hole in itself, her personal aesthetic, embodied by Lily Collins, has more often than not been treated with knee-jerk reactions. The fun, vibrant and near-ditsy vibe — fashion included, was what the whole appeal of the series was launched off of back in 2020, the aesthetic impact of the show has leaped on towards more distant, kitschy and dare we say, odd pastures with each passing season. In this regard, season 4 has been the brightest, almost distractingly so.
The show’s latest poster however, may just hint at yet another shifting tide in Emily’s sartorial evolution, however glacial it may seem. The palette is red, the theme is vintage and the vibe is princess. Don’t be fooled, the look isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But it is a colossal improvement on what season 4 has showcased thus far.
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In the spotlight, is not Emily, but vintage Roberto Cappucci gown which dates back to 1956. The piece was so iconic for its time that it was featured in a keynote Cadillac commercial. Referred to as the Nove Gonne or the ‘Nine Skirts’ gown, the ballroom red Cappucci ensemble features 9 consecutive upturned layers, making up the lifted front hem. Each of these layers swirl back, descending further down creating the illusion of a trail. The futuristic high-low hem of the dress was complimented with a fitted bodice and svelte midi skirt back in the 50s. Emily taps into her camp-core soul to don a pair of fitted capri pants instead. A pair of ballet flats, bright red elbow high gloves and a perfectly coiffed hairdo complete Emily’s updated spin on the look.
Camp is iconic. And not without reason. There is something incredibly liberating about a no-holds bar celebration of fashion, be it in terms of silhouette, colour or inspiration. The one thing camp can’t be categorised as however, is ‘everyday’. But Emily does it. She dials back as much as she can on the shock factor of camp — mostly by sticking to regular silhouettes. But there is no stopping her when it comes to colours and embellishments and while more can be more, in Emily’s case it is blindingly too much. And not once per episode, but in every other scene. Costume designer Marylin Fitoussi shared how though Parisian chic was the core inspiration behind Emily’s increasingly unraveling wardrobe, they didn’t want the final lineup of fits to be predictable either which way. She said, “We didn’t want to make her a young American in her jeans and sneakers, nor the Parisian woman’s archetype in a trench coat and white T-shirt”.
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The brief then, was “boring is irrelevant”. And looking at how Emily’s clothes are the only factor which have held their spot when it comes to the show’s relevancy, the styling team probably hit the nail on the head?
The second installment of Emily in Paris will be streaming on OTT, starting September 12.