The show is still called Emily in Paris, but the City of Lights isn’t the only muse for our favorite American marketing executive abroad — this year, Emily Cooper (Lily Collins) is in Italy. And while she’s spent four seasons learning how to live like a Parisian, Season 5 begins with the expat adjusting to life (and love) in Italia. 

This season opens with Emily getting the hang of life as a Roman: rich culture, ancient history, and world-class food everywhere you look. In Rome, says creator Darren Star, “she’s loosening up a little, and her style’s evolving and getting more sophisticated.”

“It was incredible to film in both Rome and Venice,” says Collins. Of course, there’s also stunning new fashion and beautiful looks for all the characters. This season feels like it flows between two countries more than ever before.”

Emily has plenty of experience as a Parisian now, so here’s a few lessons she’s learning about living as the Romans do.

Brush up on your movie history.

Creator Star references Italian cinema throughout the episodes. “There’s a Cinema Paradiso–inspired campaign for Muratori perfume, and there is a slight Felliniesque sensibility, and a Nino Rota sensibility to the music,” he says. “I wanted to have that Italian inspiration, and you can’t help being inspired by Italy and Italian cinema while you’re filming there.”

Costume designer Marylin Fitoussi also says she looked to Italian silver screen icons like Silvana Mangano, Anna Magnani, Sophia Loren, and Claudia Cardinale. “All these women embody a celebration of femininity, drama, and glamour,” she says. 

Look the part.

Emily’s hair changes every season, which helps as a handy visual of Emily’s evolution. “Sometimes the city she’s in influences her style,” Collins says. “This season, we styled my bob differently in Italy versus Paris. It was sleek and straight in Italy, while in Paris, it had a softer, more effortless French kick — a little je ne sais quoi that captured that Parisian ease. It really reflects Emily’s feelings about her style and where she is in her life.”

PHOTO BY CAROLINE DUBOIS

PHOTO BY GIULIA PARMIGIANI

Embrace the Italian aesthetic. 

Polka dots were a fashion staple of golden-age Italian cinema, so Fitoussi made sure they were a major feature in Emily’s wardrobe this season. Several of her most memorable looks include the classic black-and-white color palate, with a modern twist. The idea, says Fitoussi, was “reimagining the iconic silhouettes of Italian cinema.” That’s why you’ll see coordinated sets — lots of bras and mermaid skirts — alongside mini dresses, jumpsuits, and more.

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER SPATARI/GETTY IMAGES

See the sights. 

“Filming in Rome and Venice was utterly magical, and I was always pinching myself,” Collins says. “Both cities are so cinematically stunning, full of history and a palpable sense of magic — you can feel it, see it, and hear it as you wander down little alleyways or by the water. There’s so much ancient history to soak in.”

PHOTO BY GIULIA PARMIGIANI

Take an Italian lover.

You don’t necessarily need a meet cute on an Alpine ski slope to find your dream Italian boyfriend like Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini). Emily’s Italian adventure began in Season 4 when she visited her new beau in his homeland for the first time, and now she has a new job, opening the Agence Grateau Rome office. It’s never advised to mix business with pleasure, but sometimes one can lead to the other.

Sip a Peroni.

What goes best after a day of sightseeing? The beverage of Italy’s fashion elites, of course. So crack open an icy Peroni while you enjoy some of Italy’s famous cuisine, because spritzes are so last season.

Wear couture.

Fitoussi’s goal with Emily’s wardrobe was to create an aspirational, innovative style. “That’s what I’m looking for — pieces with a slightly baroque feel, very Schiaparelli, but with their own identity. Is it wearable? Can it be bought? That’s not the point,” says the two-time Emmy nominee. “For me, the point is for people to dream through these clothes. That’s what fashion is all about: being able to offer pieces that are unique and different.”

Sip a Peroni Nastro Azzurro…in couture. And try to win a prize!

For Season 5, Emily in Paris teamed up with Peroni to create “Couturzies,” the most fashionable beverage cooler you’ve ever seen. Check out the image above with Luc (Bruno Gouery) and Julien (Samuel Arnold) brainstorming how to make the act of drinking a bottled beverage more chic than you could’ve imagined. Even better, you can enter to win one of these custom beverage coolers — see below for details.  

• NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes ends on 1/7/26 at 11:59 PM CT. Open only to legal residents of 50 U.S. (D.C) who are 21 years or older. Click Here for Official Rules, including how to enter, odds, prize details, and restrictions. Void where prohibited.
• This Sweepstakes is not sponsored or administered by [Netflix Media, LLC] or its parent, subsidiary, or affiliated entities.

Want to see Emily’s Italian style in action? Check out Emily in Paris Season 5, now streaming on Netflix.