Advertisement

Lily Collins Says Her Emily in Paris Character Would Have a Carrie Bradshaw Poster

Ahead of Emily in Paris's sophomore season, Lily Collins explained that the show's exaggerated portrayal of the City of Light — and the American girl that's living there — shouldn't keep people from enjoying the show. In a new interview with Nylon, Collins talked about comparisons between Emily and Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw (Darren Star created both shows and Patricia Field is responsible for both wardrobes) and how the combination of berets and couture adds to the show's sunny outlook.

Collins admitted that there are some similarities between Emily and Carrie, tulle skirts and embrace of Technicolor fashion aside. She said that Emily's not looking to model her life after Carrie's adventures, but that Emily would have idolized the fictional sex writer.

"She's in no way mimicking Carrie's life," Collins said. "Emily probably grew up having Carrie Bradshaw posters on her wall."

Lily Collins
Lily Collins

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

RELATED: Emily's Beret Is Back in Netflix's Emily In Paris Season 2 Sneak Peek

And as for anyone thinking that the Paris portrayed on the show is too much, Collins said it's all a reflection of what Emily feels. The whole thing is meant to capture the excitement that comes from being a person in a new place.

"I think that this is a heightened reality for Emily, to be moving to Paris, and what she experiences and what she sees," she said. "It's just that when you put them all together in a TV show that also aesthetically looks the way it does, it's a little less believable."

And Patricia Field agreed. In a profile for InStyle, she said that she dresses Emily with the clear intent to show a woman who's excited to be an American in Paris.

"I was brought up in New York, so when I first got the script, I thought, 'I don't really know what a Midwestern girl from Chicago would wear in Paris, to tell you the truth,'" she said. "But what I did know was that Emily is an optimist, and she would be very excited to be an American in Paris. So to me, it just made sense that she would put on a blouse that had the Eiffel Tower on it or carry a Mona Lisa bag or throw on a beret. Yes, her style was intentionally clichéd, but it was also cheerful and whimsical and allowed her to fully express her enthusiasm for being there. I also loved taking something traditionally Parisian like an oversize Chanel jacket and pairing it with a patchwork dress by a local artist. Thankfully, Lily gets my head trip, which makes it fun for all of us."