Nestled within the kaleidoscopic explosion of color, print, sparkle, and nostalgia in the “Emily in Paris: Fashion Without Rules — Costumes by Marylin Fitoussi” exhibit at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, a delicious teaser—or teasers—awaits for the conclusion of the Darren Star-created show. 

“I paid a tribute to us—and to myself—in season six,” says the Emmy-nominated costume designer. Guiding a media tour that included The Set Set through all the jubilant, plot-driving fashion, Fitoussi reveals an advance look at costumes from the final season, which releases on Netflix on December 24. She stops at a monochromatic ensemble in the titular marketing maven’s (Lily Collins) trademark hot pink: a custom Alexandre Vauthier double-breasted longline coat, over a Pucci ruffled blouse, and sleek Balenciaga trousers. Saint Laurent satin pumps and a geometric clutch by The Attico finish off the striking look. 

“You see how the character evolved,” says Fitoussi, later telling The Set Set: “That means she's still strong. She's still true to herself and to the DNA of season one. But we can see how much she has evolved. She didn't shy away from the shocking pink, but [wears it in] a very much more elegant and elevated way.” 

In addition to Emily’s hot pink update, a handpicked selection of vibrant season six teasers take Fitoussi’s brazen mix—and joyful overload—of unexpected colors, graphics, textures, and embellishments to a new level. For instance, a Nué fuchsia ostrich feather bolero—reminiscent of Emily’s fluttery, season three cape worn to chase after love interest Alfie (Lucien Laviscount)—is layered over a slinky red Vaulthier halter dress. An op-art mélange combines a green graphic swing coat from fbg2211, opens in new tab, a fringed psychedelic floral-print minidress by Alémais, and a holographic beaded Jérôme Dreyfuss bag. “[I chose these season six looks] because they are radical,” says the Parisian costume designer.

True to Fitoussi’s approach, the season six preview includes a tapestry of legacy fashion houses and international indie designers, which Fitoussi often finds during her exhaustive, late-night Instagram scrolls. She points to a blue, black, and white abstract print mini-dress, with an asymmetrical swirl hemline—by New York-based PH5, designed by Parsons alum Wei Lin. “The strong pattern, this Alaïa-like texture, the [unusual] skirt,” says Fitoussi, pairing the dress with black-and-white polka-dot Miu Miu Mary Janes. “[I love] having all these young designers from all around the world. In season six, we have ones that we’ve never had before—very new brands for shoes, bags, jewels, and clothes. We always try to find very niche designers.”

Just like the time Emily unleashed her latent singing skills by publicly serenading Alfie with Dionne Warwick’s 1966 classic, Fitoussi continues to surprise—dropping a sartorial bombshell for the final season. “For the first time, we did two very minimalist black evening gown looks for Emily,” says Fitoussi, who snapped up a vintage Moschino on Vestiaire Collective. “Another has deep cleavage down the front and back, paired with huge oversized earrings and two beautiful bracelets. We needed to have this evolution from season one into this strong silhouette, while still being very Emily with the combination of accessories.”

Back in season three, Emily began infusing sleeker, more defined silhouettes and intense solid hues into her wardrobe. Her wardrobe journey, which unfolds in the exhibition, features season four’s confident monochrome cobalt-blue Barbara Bui pantsuit to track down an absconded Camille (Camille Razat) in Giverny and season five’s sculptural ’60s-inspired green-and-silver brocade jacket and cut-out dress by Huishan Zhang, for a romantic walk with Italian fashion scion Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini).

In what Fitoussi has dubbed “the mirror game, opens in new tab,” the progression reflects Emily emulating her formidable boss and reluctant mentor Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu). The power player’s eternally impeccable and sexy Parisian chic is represented in the exhibit by a handful of unforgettable looks from memorable moments, like the Joan of Arc-inspired, opens in new tab gunmetal paillette-covered archival Alberta Ferretti gown that Sylvie audaciously wears to lunch and the fringed, illusion-paneled black dress by The Attico to jump into a speedboat and ride off into the sunset in season five. 

So Emily’s game-changing minimalism “could have been worn by Sylvie, but with the Cooper twist,” says Fitoussi, who also conveys Emily finally winning over a discerning Sylvie through a wink at her exuberant geometric play during her 'La Dolce Vita' adventures in Rome. “[Sylvie will wear] a Saint Laurent blouse with very tiny polka dots.”

At the suggestion of SCAD FASH Creative Director Rafael Brauer Gomes, Fitoussi created mood boards to plot out the narrative of the exhibition, which showcases more than 100 costumes of Emily and supporting cast members, including best friend Mindy’s (Ashley Park) Magda Butrym floral set and lots of short-shorts, and spectacular (and drama-filled) Agence Grateau-orchestrated runway show vignettes. Fitoussi envisioned “a polka-dot room, a stripes room, a color-block room, and the shocking pink as a unifying color for all the sets.”

The exhibition begins with season one’s instantly recognizable black-and-white gingham shorts suit by Veronica Beard, topped by Emily’s on-the-nose red beret. “I hate the word, but [Emily’s look] became ‘iconic,’” says Fitoussi during the tour, recalling the heated backlash from the French, who considered the hat cliché. She explains that the offending beret actually represents a wide-eyed, fish-out-of-water Emily signaling love and appreciation for la culture française—especially since the monolingual Chicagoan couldn’t articulate the sentiment in the local language.

“This is the silhouette that I picture in my head of what being a ‘Parisian girl’ means,” continues Fitoussi. After the show premiered, “I saw all the tourists in Paris wearing the red beret as a sign of ‘We love the show, and we also love Paris—and, yes, we are French chic,” adds Fitoussi, with a satisfied grin. “So for me, this has a lot of meaning. Every time I see someone with a red beret, I just smile. I plead guilty on this one.” 

Fitoussi’s fantastical fashion vision of an American in Paris has changed the global culture, so Emily’s final goodbye will undoubtedly make an impact—and possibly cause a few tears—too. Distinct from the color riot of the other season six teasers, a full-skirted Antonio Marras gown—with exquisite rose print on light ecru and a brocade bustier peeking out of intricate pleats—slowly spins on a director’s chair with “fin” (end) emblazoned on the back. “We were thinking about the best way to close the series—if it would be a strong and colorful look or a more subtle look. But we wanted to have this romantic vision of her at the end, with the retro and the modern twist at the same time,” says Fitoussi. “I can’t spoil anything, but the season ends with love.”

The architectural yet ethereal dress also encapsulates hallmarks of the series, with Easter eggs hidden in the intricate details. “This subtle color [and print nods to] the 18th century because of Versailles,” says Fitoussi, referring to Gregory Dupree’s (Jeremy O. Harris) chaotically spectacular Skims-meets-Marie Antoinette runway show in season two, which is also on display. “The pearls on the jewels [referencing] the seaside because we have a very important scene at the beach in Mykonos [in season six]. We have all these elements in this precise dress.”

Fitoussi recalls the decision for Emily’s grand finale look coming down to an hour before filming. “Lily explained to Darren that it was the dress because of all the detail. It needed to be that,” says Fitoussi. “We said, ‘Okay, that's the last scene, the last moment we will see Emily,’ and we started to cry. It was a very strong moment.”

The “Emily in Paris: Fashion Without Rules — Costumes by Marylin Fitous, opens in new tabsi” exhibit at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta runs from November 11, 2026 to March 14, 2027.