Expect an extra splash of sequins, velvet, or vegan leather when Emily in Paris season 3 returns this December: Ashley Park’s new Rent the Runway collection has made the fashion closet’s cut. The actress—who plays Mindy Chen in the much-discussed romantic comedy—confirmed to ELLE.com that one of the pieces in her new RTR collab will appear in the series, and will be available to rent alongside other holiday-ready looks.
The capsule collection, dropping Nov. 15, features six dresses, a jumpsuit, and a blazer. Necklines cycle between halter, strapless, sweetheart and V-neck; fabrics include sequins, vegan leather, velvet, and tulle; and colors remain safely in the “holiday-appropriate” zone. (In other words, picture lots of blacks, silvers, reds, and maroons.) Prices run from $60-70 a la carte, or members can rent pieces as part of their monthly RTR subscription. If you fall in love and want to keep a look, they’re available to purchase “pre-loved.”
“Holidays are so expensive already,” Park says. “And there’s so much waste already. So I was like, this is the perfect time to be able to pick things where you feel like you’re really shining in a moment and get your Instagram photos; you feel comfortable the whole night. You can eat and drink whatever you want, and then you can return it, and you don’t have to feel like you have to buy 18 outfits for the holiday season.” She added, smiling, “I think being an actor, I love trying on different personalities. The [looks] all are very different personalities.”
Working with stylist Erin Walsh, Park has ironed out her personal style, an updated take on comfy-chic that she insists is “very different” from her over-the-top Emily in Paris closet. Still, working in the sky-high heels and flamboyant fabrics selected by costume designers Patricia Field and Marylin Fitoussi, Park has learned just how badly she needs a wardrobe that’s comfortable. “I used to think my personal style was like, ‘What thing can I put on my body?’” she says. “Rather than, ‘Oh, how does this make me feel when I’m wearing it?’” She promises her RTR collection, however elevated, is also luxuriously cozy.
As for where Emily in Paris will go next, her lips are sealed as far as plot details, but she’s more than happy to discuss Mindy’s “never-ending Mary Poppins closet.” She promises lots of young, up-and-coming female designers will be showcased in season 3, and that Mindy’s “glitz and glam” will remain as glittering as ever. Keep your eyes peeled for butterfly motifs, which Park hints will show up in Mindy’s wardrobe whenever she’s in proximity to an as-yet-unrevealed character.
Like with her RTR capsule, Park stresses that her Emily in Paris fashion is deeply thought out—the looks are considered their own character on the show. That’s a feeling she hopes to translate to her own style, and to this holiday collection. “It’s one of our scene partners,” she says. “How do we navigate what we’re doing and what are we saying through our clothes, too?”
Lauren Puckett-Pope is an associate editor at ELLE, where she covers film, TV, books and fashion.
