There’s a lot to joke about when it comes to Emily In Paris, but the series takes it a step farther, acknowledging Emily’s ridiculous fashion sense.
Caution: Minor spoilers ahead for Emily in Paris season 2
In Emily In Paris season 2, the show makes fun of Emily Cooper’s sometimes ridiculous fashion choices. After debuting in October 2020, audiences found plenty to make fun of about Emily In Paris and its titular character, played by Lily Collins, from her ability to make friends on every corner, to her general obliviousness to obvious social cues. This turned the show into a fan-favorite hate-watch, and many feared that Emily In Paris season 2 could make the same mistakes as its first season.
Emily In Paris season 2 picks up directly after the events of season 1, with Emily still torn over her one-night fling with Gabriel after he decides to stay in Paris. While she seems to be on top of her game at Savoir, her personal life is less put together as she juggles her feelings for Gabriel and her loyalty to Camille. Eventually, Emily meets Alfie—a London transplant who is in Paris for work—in her French class, but things aren’t smooth between them at first. Alfie’s disdain for being in Paris, and for his new partner, is clear, but their burgeoning romance sidelines one of Emily In Paris season 2’s most important plots and allows the show to make fun of itself at the same time.
During one assignment in their French class, Emily and Alfie are instructed to interview each other and inform the class about their partner. While Emily takes this project seriously, presenting Alfie’s life in a straightforward manner, Alfie uses his presentation to rib on Emily. In French, Alfie tells the class, “Emily wears silly clothes,” prompting laughs from her classmates. While the line seems like a throwaway moment, Emily takes it to heart, showing the sometimes excruciating earnestness of the character while still laughing at her.
While Emily In Paris season 2 fixes some things and changes others, Emily’s fashion stays the same and that seems to be largely the point. Emily’s colorful and garish fashion is used to emphasize her Americanness, especially while juxtaposed with the classic and more sophisticated fashion of her French counterparts. Emily’s dedication to it is what makes it work, but it’s clear that she’s no Carrie Bradshaw—and the show knows it. Not only is Emily’s fashion made fun of in Emily In Paris season 2, but the show finds other ways to poke fun of its concept in interesting ways.
In the show’s newest season, it seems Star, Collins, and co. have taken the criticisms of the first season and used them to their advantage. From the continued lack of consequences for her actions to Emily being obsessed with her phone, season 2 shows the series has become more self-aware, and that’s ultimately a good sign for Emily In Paris season 3. One of the most notable moments of humor comes when Emily is trying to promote Camille’s family’s champagne brand, which inadvertently leads to Camille’s father cutting off his own finger. Blood sprays all over Emily – and her phone – and it seems that Emily In Paris is well aware of its flaws at that moment and it doesn’t really care, which is probably a good thing.
Emily in Paris season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
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