Emily Cooper, the bumbling and oh-so-American protagonist of Netflix’s Emily in Paris, has a fashion sense so unique there are online diatribes about the meaning of her Hood by Air jacket and her not really ironic berets. Since Emily’s return to our screens just this week, her looks have remained as wild as ever. Share’s the show’s creator Darren Star: “Emily’s fashion sense is unapologetic and original with a sense of humour. She is only interested in being herself and maintaining her individuality.”
In season two, Star continues, “Emily comes into her own; begins to assimilate more into Parisian life and style. She forms deeper bonds with her French coworkers and friends, which is certainly not without drama and complications—friendships are tested and her work and romantic lives become more intertwined.” Some of the character’s self-realisation as a totally true French girl will be realised off-screen—in the show’s first official fashion collaboration with My Beachy Side.
The brand’s founder Gamze Ates first met Star as a friend and the pairing came about holistically. “A season two storyline presented us with an opportunity for an organic partnership with My Beachy Side, whose collection captures the relaxed glamour and joie de vivre of the south of France. It expresses an entirely different look for our characters—vacation chic,” Star says. “I love how the line brings classic St. Tropez vibes and interprets them in a fresh and sexy way.” For Ates, the collaboration was a no-brainer. “The show is all about women’s empowerment in a comedic way,” she says, “so it felt like a good connection right away.”
Founded in her native Turkey, Ates’ label keeps ideas of craft and female empowerment at its heart. My Beachy Side is a no-waste knit and crochet company made by female artisans throughout the country. “Istanbul is very cosmopolitan, but when you go to more rural areas, there are not a lot of job opportunities for women,” she says. “For some women these are their first jobs, and they are true artisans.”
Each piece in Emily in Paris is hand-knit or hand-crocheted, embodying the spirit of the south of France. Some carry the series’ visual comedy into fashion, like a sailboat bra top or a classic marinière boatneck, others are subtler, sexy takes on French girl summer style. “At the end of the day you have to create something that people love—you can’t expect them to shop out of charity,” says Ates. “I’m so thankful to Emily in Paris for putting a shine on us. It’s such an amazing opportunity.”
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
