The ringarde charm of Paris is being traded for the structured seduction of Rome. As Emily in Paris heads into production for Season 5, the narrative stakes have shifted fundamentally: Emily Cooper is no longer the chaotic American expatriate flailing in French bureaucracy; she is a woman who has finally chosen love over career. This pivotal character arc—relocating to helm Agence Grateau Rome—is driving a complete sartorial metamorphosis. Gone are the frenetic pattern clashes of seasons past, replaced by a "grounded sensuality" that draws heavily from the golden age of Italian cinema. Costume designer Marylin Fitoussi is orchestrating a wardrobe evolution that mirrors Emily’s internal growth, swapping the whimsical tulle of the Place de la Valois for the archival brocades, bold reds, and cinematic poise of the Eternal City. This is no longer just a show about fashion; it is a curatorial study in how geography dictates style.
The New Aesthetic: Grounded Sensuality Meets La Dolce Vita
The visual language of Season 5 is defined by a distinct departure from the "Patricia Field school of maximalism" that characterized the show's early years. While the DNA of the show remains vibrant, the execution has matured. According to recent insights from costume designer Marylin Fitoussi, the brief for Rome is "elevated and romantic." The frenetic energy of Emily’s Parisian wardrobe—often criticized by purists for its lack of cohesion—is settling into a confident, deliberate rhythm.
This shift is narrative-driven. For the first time, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) is prioritizing her personal life, specifically her relationship with Marcello. This "love-first" mentality manifests in silhouettes that are softer yet more structured. We are seeing a move away from the aggressive neon layering of Season 4 toward the romantic practicality of 1950s Italy. The wardrobe is responding to the cobblestones of Rome and the canals of Venice, necessitating a shift from sky-high stilettos to chic flats—a practical concession that Fitoussi has turned into a major style statement.
The aesthetic is being described by insiders as a blend of "mob-wife flair" and aristocratic elegance. It is a difficult balance to strike, yet early intelligence suggests a wardrobe heavy on polka dots, tulip skirts, and tailored capri pants. It is a look that whispers "vacation" but screams "legacy."
Cinematic Codes: Loren, Hepburn, and The Italian Screen
Fashion in film often functions as a dialogue with the past, and Season 5 is shouting its references. Fitoussi has explicitly cited the dual pillars of Italian cinematic style: the gamine innocence of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday and the visceral, earthy sexuality of Sophia Loren in Marriage Italian Style and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
The Hepburn influence is evident in the silhouette—waist-cinching skirts, neck scarves, and a sense of propriety. However, it is the infusion of the Sophia Loren archetype that provides the season's tension. Emily is not just a tourist; she is a woman in love. This requires clothes that occupy space. We are seeing references to Anita Pallenberg’s late-60s bohemian luxe and even Sharon Stone’s character in Casino—references that suggest a harder, more glamorous edge than the "sunshine Emily" of previous seasons.
This duality—the "good girl" tourist vs. the "siren" of the Mediterranean—mirrors the central conflict of the season: Emily’s attempt to balance her professional duties at Agence Grateau with her volatile romantic entanglements involving Marcello, Gabriel, and the returning Alfie.
The Brand Matrix: A Shift to Italian Powerhouses
The move to Rome has opened the floodgates for Italian heritage brands to take center stage. While French couture defined the first four seasons, Season 5 is an open love letter to Milanese fashion. Preliminary reports and costume breakdowns indicate a heavy reliance on Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, and Moschino. These are brands that understand the interplay of religion, sex, and tradition—themes central to the Roman aesthetic.
Specific pieces identified in early intelligence reports include archival Alberta Ferretti and vintage Galliano, signaling a continuation of the show's commitment to sustainability through vintage sourcing. However, new heavy hitters are entering the rotation. The inclusion of The Attico—known for its modern, sequined, cool-girl glamour—suggests that while Emily is looking back to the 50s, she is firmly planted in 2025.
Notably, the use of Huishan Zhang (specifically in brocade coats) and La DoubleJ prints bridges the gap between Emily’s love for pattern and her new, matured environment. The wardrobe is becoming a mix of high-concept vintage and contemporary Italian "quiet luxury"—though, in Emily's world, luxury is never truly quiet.
Cultural Intelligence: The "Colpo d’Aria" and Local Nuance
One of the most fascinating "hidden angles" of the new wardrobe direction is Fitoussi’s incorporation of authentic Italian cultural superstitions into the styling. The increased use of silk neck scarves is not merely a nod to Roman Holiday; it is a practical reference to the Italian fear of the colpo d’aria (a "hit of air" or draft), which is culturally believed to cause illness.
By integrating such specific, localized details, the costume design moves beyond caricature and into cultural appreciation. It grounds the fantasy. Emily wearing a scarf in Rome isn't just fashion; it's assimilation. It signals to the audience that she is no longer observing the culture from the outside—she is living within its rules.
Sylvie Grateau: The Counter-Narrative
While Emily embraces the romanticism of the city, her mentor-turned-rival-turned-partner, Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), is taking a different approach. Intelligence suggests that Sylvie’s Roman wardrobe will be more aggressive, body-revealing, and sensual than her Parisian "chic armor."
Sylvie’s style evolution in Rome acts as a foil to Emily. Where Emily adopts the "sweetness" of Italian cinema, Sylvie adopts its "heat." Expect metal fabrics (like the spotted Attico dress), plunging necklines, and a darker color palette. This visual contrast heightens the narrative tension: Emily is the romantic idealist; Sylvie is the pragmatic conqueror.
Strategic Implications: Netflix’s Italian Expansion
From a business perspective, taking Emily in Paris to Rome is a masterstroke in IP monetization and market expansion. Italy represents a fashion market valued at over €100 billion. By pivoting the show’s aesthetic to highlight Italian craftsmanship, Netflix opens up lucrative cross-promotional opportunities with brands that may have previously felt excluded by the show’s Francophile focus.
The financial power of the show’s wardrobe was recently underscored at the 2024 amfAR Cannes gala, where a walk-on role for Season 5 was auctioned for €250,000. This figure validates the show's status not just as entertainment, but as a high-value luxury marketplace. The shift to Rome allows the production to tap into a new ecosystem of luxury advertisers and tourism partnerships, refreshing the visual palette just as viewer fatigue with Paris began to loom.
Timeline: The Evolution of Emily Cooper
- Seasons 1-2 (The American Clash): Under consultant Patricia Field, the look was defined by Sex and the City-style anachronisms—bucket hats, neon checks, and impractical tulle. The narrative was "fish out of water."
- Seasons 3-4 (The Parisian Polish): Marylin Fitoussi takes the lead. The bangs appear. The looks become more cohesive, leaning heavily on Audrey Hepburn references, yet still maintaining a whimsical, "ringarde" edge.
- Season 5 (The Roman Renaissance): Production begins mid-2025. The aesthetic shifts to "grounded sensuality." Key elements: flats, red palettes, polka dots, archival Italian vintage, and structured suiting. The narrative driver is "Love over Work."
Forecast: What This Means for Fashion Trends
The "Emily Effect" is a documented retail phenomenon, and the shift to a Roman aesthetic will likely ripple through the mass market in late 2025 and early 2026. We predict three major trend resurgences driven by Season 5:
First, the Return of the Silk Scarf. As the show legitimizes the accessory as both a style staple and a cultural nod, expect a spike in vintage Hermès and Pucci scarf sales.
Second, the Validation of the Flat Shoe. For years, TV heroines ran in heels. Emily’s embrace of flats for traversing Roman cobblestones aligns with the broader industry shift toward comfort-driven luxury (e.g., The Row, Alaïa flats). This will solidify the ballet flat and the Venetian slipper as the "it" shoes of the season.
Finally, the "Romantic Red" Palette. With the show emphasizing Emily’s pursuit of love, and red being the signature color of Italian passion (and Valentino), expect a departure from Gen Z green and Barbie pink toward deep, oxblood, and cardinal reds.
As filming commences in mid-2025, the paparazzi images from the set will likely serve as the first lookbook for this new era. Emily Cooper has finally grown up, and for the first time, her wardrobe is keeping pace.
Written by Ara Ohanian for FAZ Fashion — fashion intelligence for the modern reader.
