Emily In Paris – Season 3 Episode 8 “Fashion Victim” Recap & Review

Fashion Victim

The tone of Emily in Paris continues to remain dark with episode 8 while the Grateau employees walk through some kind of garden in black attire. They’re clearly discussing Pierre Cadault in a manner that suggests as though the designer is probably dead after that mysterious turning point at the end of the previous episode. In a surprising turn of events, he is still alive, and they are visiting him at a hospital and not taking him to his final resting place.

Sylvie tries to avoid discussing work with Cadault during their conversation because he is unaware that he is about to be fired from his own label and replaced by Gregory. She schedules an appointment with Gregory while still inside the Grateau workplace. He appears to be a little disappointed and upset that Cadault is still alive. We are compelled to feel sympathy for him once he opens up about his past. Gregory confirms that he had previously been caught on camera “enjoying fellatio al fresco” and then he was named “Gag-ory” by Cadault, who introduced the famous and hurtful term while communicating with the media.

When Emily visits Cadault, she calls Nicolas and requests that he postpone unveiling Gregory as the line’s leader since Cadault is still in the hospital. He doesn’t agree, so Emily informs Sylvie. Sylvie then prepares to have a conversation with Louis de Leon, Nicolas’ dad and the head of the JVMA, to resolve the issue by herself. She urges him to put off the official statement so that Cadault can leave his brand graciously, but he refuses and insists that Nicolas will make the final decision.

Additionally, he dodges Sylvie’s inquiries by claiming that she is just as “feisty and beautiful” now as she had been as an assistant. Sylvie, who is skilled at playing the game, claims to “remember everything” regarding working with Louis and implies that he was creepy to her. They come to an agreement after she subtly blackmails him, and he says he’ll put off the official statement for the time being.

Following Mindy’s performance at the music venue that evening, Emily, Mindy, and Nicolas seem to be having a conversation, and Nicolas confronts Emily regarding Sylvie having a conversation with his dad about postponing the Cadault updates. Nicolas is enraged, informing Emily that it is his decision when and how to tell the public, and Emily tends to leave him and Mindy alone thereafter.

As Emily is making her way back, Gabriel texts her requesting to go grab a drink. She answers and manages to find him seated by the riverbank downing a drink of Japanese whisky. After seeing a picture of Camille in Greece with Sofia as well as a few men at a club, he goes on to tell her that he believes she is having an affair. He continues to reveal information, telling Emily that he believes Camille never chose to forgive him. He goes on to tell Emily that the moment he laid eyes on her, he immediately fell for her.

When he communicates, Emily advises him to call a cab and get home. Gabriel continues to chug whisky while in the backseat of the vehicle and professes his love for both Emily as well as Camille, however, Emily takes him back safely to his flat before he can make any further drunken confessions.

The following day, Emily informs Sylvie that Nicolas was infuriated by her discussion with his dad and that he intends to make the Gregory press release that evening. Sylvie realizes she must now inform Cadault, so she and Emily pay him a visit and he appears understandably upset.

Gregory is scheduled to take the Cadault throne that evening as they move forward with the unveiling of the Cadault store. While over there, Nicolas makes an effort to patch things up with Emily. However, Emily has a trick up her sleeve. In order to generate sensation about Cadault as an individual rather than just his label, she and Sylvie falsely claim that he is dead when they show up at the venue.

The tactic succeeds, and during the party, there are rumors that Cadault passed away that day in the hospital. Cadault makes an appearance, correcting the rumors of his death by walking across a hologram of himself, shortly after the crowd’s curiosity in the headlines of his death reaches its peak.

Nicolas discovers that Sylvie was behind the rumor and tells her to leave, discontinuing her relationship with him as well as his brand, and yet Sylvie can’t be bothered. Sylvie claims that she is losing an opportunity she never really desired: a bond with Louis de Leon. Sylvie and Emily leave immediately together, which could be problematic for Emily’s bond with Mindy but potentially fruitful for her connection with Sylvie.

The following day, Emily is walking back to her flat and she meets Gabriel, who informs her that Camille returned yesterday. He’s also much happier than the last time we had seen him. Gabriel informs Emily that he is genuinely happy and that they simply missed one another as Camille reassured him that she was not seeing anyone.

The Episode Review

The episode begins on a dramatic note, and the tone is maintained throughout, from the characters implying Cadault is dead to Pierre making a scene at the store. While a dramatic touch serves to entertain – which is great – this episode is overly dramatic, which becomes tiresome.

The drama here also pushes and normalizes the idea that loving two people is not wrong, as we’ve seen throughout the show. In this episode, for instance, Gabriel tells Emily that he loves both Emily and Camille. While it’s great to have a show that shows the opposing viewpoint, there’s only one here, and it’s a morally questionable viewpoint.