What French women really think about Emily In Paris

Who: Consider Guidez the quintessential Parisienne. This art director was born and raised in the city and had never lived anywhere else before she relocated to Singapore last July.

What she says: “I thought that the first episode was a bit brutal towards French people but knowing Darren Star, he was probably trying to make a deeper point than one that just said ‘French people are obnoxious and unfaithful’. After living in Singapore for more than a year now, I kind of grasped how the French are perceived as snobbish by a large number of people – so I’m trying to stay objective about the fact that not everything portrayed in the show was all black and white.

After finishing the entire series, I would say that all the cliches (founded or not) were just a way to get the audience (French and international) hooked on the show. The series was actually a pretty classic fashion-oriented rom-com like Younger and Sex And The City that was painted against a backdrop of films like The Devil Wears Prada and with no actual statement that’s for or against Parisians or Paris.

The buzz has been created and the offense hasn’t been taken.”

Who: Chabanis is a French-Malagasy art director and content specialist who, coincidentally, grew up in Normandy (the same region in France where Emily’s hot chef beau Gabriel hailed from). Before moving to the Little Red Dot six years ago, she resided in Paris for a decade.

What she says: “First things first: you wouldn’t find two French persons in Paris speaking to each other in English. This was glaring when Emily attended dinner at Camille’s family home and the conversation at the table got heated and emotional. No native French speaker would have kept that conversation going in English. My husband’s brother-in-law is Irish and understands basic conversational French, but unless it’s a specific conversation directed at him, nobody speaks in English at the table.

The show in itself did not seem to be made for French people. Her chambre de bonne (which is usually about nine square metres) looked like a palace compared to what it should have been in reality. And why did it seem that her everyday life was limited to the first five arrondissements of Paris?

Emily In Paris is a completely fantasised version of Paris through the eyes of Darren Star – I mean even Sex And The City was a fantasised version of New York City. Emily saw Paris through an American point of view; it was an even less realistic vision than Amelie Poulain’s. If you’re looking for a more realistic yet American point of view of Paris, I’d recommend watching The Eddy on Netflix.”

Who: A former executive director at Goldman Sachs, Zagury left the financial world to set up independent multi-label boutique Rue Madame in Hong Kong in 2010 as a destination for affordable luxury with a colourful Parisian twist. The company has four stockists in the territory and one over here at Ngee Ann City, carrying labels like the sustainable The R Collective and Portspure. To mark its 10th anniversary this year, Zagury has collaborated with Parisian illustrator Manon Cardin for a series of limited edition silk scarves that will be retailing from next month.

What she says: “The series was a fantasy that showcased the different aspects of French style. I would say Emily’s boss Sylvie was classy. Her effortless ensemble of a black dress and a timeless trench coat with daring jewels is the je ne sais quoi look that you could wear from day to night.

To me, Camille truly embodied the chic Parisienne. She certainly knew how to pull off her basics and neutrals and finish off her outfit with the right accessories like a leather jacket and boots.

French style is all about the basics. We value quality over quantity and we never try too hard. Just be confident and dress like you know exactly who you are.”

Who: This former broadcast journalist, singer/songwriter, and member of the Female Collective spent a good 26 years in Paris before relocating to Singapore where she found her new calling as a florist. Today, her company Ask A French Flowers is well-known among connoisseurs for its romantic “garden style European” arrangements.

What she says: “After watching the first two episodes of Emily In Paris, I realised it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Even if the show was really caricatural and fed some big cliches, it was actually quite funny and based on realistic scenarios. Oh, by the way, Parisian women and men are not into seduction that much, especially if they’re from Paris.

In terms of the fashion factor in the show, all I can say is ‘la mode, la mode, la mode‘. In the first two episodes, Emily was definitely not trying to fit into the mould of French style; she’s called ‘la plouc’ because she was too American. However, the rest of the people working in the French agency Savoir were dressed like true Parisians.

Just look at her boss Sylvie who was always dressed in black. She’s elegant because she didn’t try too hard. She did not clash her colours and did not mix her patterns and certainly did not overload herself with makeup and accessories. The more naturally beautiful you look in Paris, the chicer you become.”

Who: This Parisian fashion designer is the brains behind four-year-old conscious label Capsule by Juliette which operates a store here at Cluny Court. Known for its brand of “effortless and happy fashion”, her designs rely on natural fabrics and printed textiles that used eco-friendly inks. Capillaire, who had been based in Singapore since 2016, recently relocated with her family to Shanghai.

What: “My first reaction to the show was that it was full of cliches about Paris and very ‘American’. The French were depicted as arrogant and nationalist – this is not quite wrong, but we’re not that extreme.

Emily’s fashion sense was a very far cry from what we call ‘French style’. In my personal opinion, French style – especially Parisian style – is about embodying a subtle elegance. You’ll never find someone wearing a total look head-to-toe or wearing more than three colours at a time. We’ve got a way with mixing very simple clothes and brands with a few chic accessories. Everything should be effortless and strike a good balance between being dress-up and looking relaxed.”

This article was first published in Female.

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