No One Dresses Better Than Your Mean French Boss (2024)

The French macaron-colored world of Emily in Paris is back with a delicious new season, and the outfits are brighter and bolder than ever. Recent InStyle NOW cover star Lily Collins and the show's costume team, lead by Marylin Fitoussi, upped the camp factor this year with a parade of ensembles that include the titular Emily wearing a green brocade mini dress with a bubblegum pink, cropped bolero and a menswear-goes-camp shirt and tie.

Ashley Park’s Mindy upped the ante as well, decked out in more flirty florals and eye-searing neon than ever, and Camille Razat absolutely delivers on the French girl style inspo we've come to expect from her character. The hot dudes don’t disappoint either in their Parisian tailoring and crisp chef whites to sink your teeth into. However, it’s Emily’s boss, Sylvie (played by the indomitable Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), who’s the real style star this year.

This is not the first time (nor the last, no doubt) that the argument has been made. Sylvie’s signature style is très chic in comparison to Emily’s "more is more" take on French glamour. But this season is different. It’s not just that Leroy-Beaulieu looks good—she always does—it's more that the fashion industry is in lockstep with her character's effortlessly luxurious getups and Parisian attitude. All the runway trends cool girls and fashion darlings are buying this fall are right out of Sylvie's style playbook. From TikTok's demure wave to designer's love affair with ladylike styles, everything in her closet is fashionable for 2024.

If Emily is a student of French style, Sylvie is the master. The character, who Fitoussi lovingly describes as a “Grade-A French Bitch,” funnels her hard-to-please standards and steely strength into her clothes. Her style is sharp, in every sense, with its strong shoulders, rich fabrics, and draped to perfection separates. Luxurious, yes, but Sylvie never ever looks boring. It’s minimalism in the way only French women who really know themselves can pull off. As Emily puts in a romantic, rendezvous-inspired pitch for Augustinus Bader this season, these women “live in the gray," finding pleasure in subtlety and nuance rather than massive prints and fuchsia.

This particular brand of not-so-quiet luxury appears to be on the brain for designers this fall as well. Gone are the relaxed, oversized blazers that have dominated retail racks for the past few years. Instead, brands like Max Mara and Louis Vuitton have embraced a fitted, cinched silhouette that evokes ‘80s Mugler and Samantha Jones. Sylvie, who I imagine has a closet full of shape-grazing separates, is already on it. Our first glimpse of the character shows her draped in a buttery suede suit that hugs Leroy-Beaulieu’s frame like it was made for her. Her office uniform of black on black with gold never neglects to use texture (chiffon, silk, wool) to keep things interesting, while belts and good tailoring deliver on the structure.

The ladylike trend, too, is already hanging in Sylvie’s wardrobe. Our girl loves nothing more than a very demure, very mindful matching set. The viral wisdom imparted by @joolieannie is always top of mind, and her endless array of pencil skirts and love for expensive perfume are proof. The skirt sets, glamorous gloves, and pencil skirts sent down the runway last February would also be right at home in the Place de Valois, where Sylvie's meticulously curated office at Savoir resides. That's not to mention the Feud-worthy gown she wears to Emily's masquerade ball—the silver collar alone would make any Capote swan jealous.

Even her jauntiest outfits capture the restrained elegance of this year’s trends. Outfitted in an exuberant (for Sylvie, anyway) white pinstripe suit and matching hat, everyone’s favorite withholding French boss looks more Diane Keaton than Olsen twin in the first installment of the show's fourth season. She's not afraid to make a statement with her fashion, but like the demure trend recommends, she keeps it mindful rather than attention-demanding.

The cast's most recent press tour was perhaps the best show of Sylvie’s style dominance. While not technically part of the Emily in Paris universe, Leroy-Beaulieu's outfit at a promotional event in Los Angeles earlier this week is too good not to mention. Wearing a sheer Saint Laurent bodysuit (in a color I can only describe as “opulent rust"), a matching tube skirt, and visible underwear, the actress positively glowed while posing for pictures at golden hour. Even the details—a smattering of bangles over the sleeves (never under) and '70s-inspired door knocker earrings—gave the ensemble a “What, this old thing?” energy that's as fabulous as it is envy-inducing. It’s a red carpet look so immaculate, it begs the question, has Sylvie been that girl all along?

It seems Sylvie is finally having her It Girl moment. The stealth wealth movement’s newest iteration has taken on the distinct taste of a discerning French woman you don’t want to disappoint (and can’t help but seek approval from). Whether investing in a sumptuous new coat that fits like a glove or a blazer with edges so sharp they’d inspire fear and begrudging respect in any Parisian transplant, it’s time to reclaim the power of being a lady. So go forth, find your inner Sylvie (or Leroy-Beaulieu) this fall, and please report back on what it does for your self-confidence.