Em Studio NY Founder & Bravo Series “Real Girlfriends in Paris” Co-Star, Emily Gorelik
Emily Gorelik is the founder and principal designer of Em Studio NY and co-star of the popular new Bravo series, “Real Girlfriends in Paris.” As a young 22-year-old entrepreneur with a passion for fashion, Emily Gorelk knew she was destined to live her life outside the box from a very young age. An American girl in Paris, Emily made the move to the City of Love in 2019, where she has since immersed herself in the culture while studying business and luxury design management.
Photography: Alexis Bonhommet
Growing up in New Jersey, Emily spent her childhood and adolescent years learning the ropes of her mother’s business, Windows Walls and More. Emily decided to rename the company Interior Production in 2019, featuring a custom design workroom that produces hand-crafted collections for the design trade. Their work has featured in numerous hotels, homes, boutiques, and showrooms across the nation, including Gracie Mansion, Night Hotel & Dream Hotel, and Pierre Frey Showroom, as well as having been published in the pages of House & Garden, Elle Décor, Architectural Digest, Luxe Interiors and Design, and more. As an ambitious teenager fueled by the world of interior design and business, Emily decided to attend high school virtually so she could dedicate more time outside the classroom to learn about the family business. She would join her mother at work daily, learning the ins and outs of the business, while simultaneously completing her schoolwork. During that time, Emily’s entrepreneurial spirit took the driver’s seat, and she came up with the idea of opening a retail location nearby. She teamed up with her brother Shawn to develop Em Studio NY, an in-house workroom located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan catering to the professional interior design trade, to retail customers, all while working closely with top decorators and architects in the interior design industry.
In 2018, Emily began her college career at New York University. After a trip to Paris, she instantly fell in love with the city’s culture, spontaneously deciding to change her path and head to France. In 2019, she made the move to Paris and re-enrolled in school to continue her studies. She also interned with a French Fashion Haus, Sonia Rykiel, where her love of fashion grew even more. Today, she studies business with a focus on luxury design management, while remotely assisting her brother on projects for Em Studio back in New York.
Getting accustomed to her new Parisian lifestyle, Emily would occasionally share glimpses of her days in the City of Love on social media. Her posts caught the attention of producers working on a new television series, taking her path on another turn.
On September 5, 2022, Emily made her on-camera debut as co-star of the anticipated new Bravo series, “Real Girlfriends in Paris,” where six bold twenty-something American women find each other, encounter a romantic rendezvous or two, and embrace all the spontaneity that comes with living in an exciting new city. Always looking for a good time, the women find themselves in an extraordinarily rich moment in their lives where the possibilities for true love, unrelenting passion, and forging life-long friendships are endless. The show airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.
Emily currently lives in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, and when she isn’t studying, working on a design project, or dreaming up her next business venture, she loves traveling the world and scouring the vintage thrift shops of Paris for her next fashion find.
Photography: Alexis Bonhommet
What inspired you to move to Paris?
Growing up in a small town in Northern New Jersey, I always looked forward to traveling with my family and exploring new places. I spent high school with a deep sense of curiosity and desire to see as much of the world as I could. I remember being 15 years old, planning out European itineraries as a hobby. So, when I started my studies at New York University, I hoped to learn more about the world and my place in it.
After my Freshman year at NYU, I took a spontaneous solo trip to Paris—a place I’d always dreamed of seeing, having studied the language in high school. It was during my time there when I realized just how big and beautiful the world is; the only way to learn about it is by experiencing it firsthand. I love stepping outside of my Air BnB and instantly being greeted by aesthetics, history, architecture, and culture. I fell in love with the pace of life, the emphasis on aesthetics, and most importantly, myself. I contemplated and decided that a year in Paris would satisfy my hunger to travel Europe and immerse myself more in my passion for architecture and design. A year quickly turned into three, and I still find myself learning new things about Paris, and myself, every day.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the degree you’re pursuing and what you hope to accomplish?
I am currently a student at the Paris School of Business studying for my Bachelor’s degree in Luxury Brand Management. I always knew I would end up in design, an industry I learned much about firsthand growing up and working alongside my mother at Interior Production. However, I feel that any business owner—no matter what field—benefits from knowledge about the business aspect of their passion. It stands as the core of any business structure. My current courses are focused on how to manage luxury brands in all industries—fashion, hospitality, and retail. This course diversity opens many doors for me, enabling me to take up internships in all luxury fields, like my internship with Sonia Rykiel. All in all, I hope to become more knowledgeable about managing my own business and brand.
Photography: Alexis Bonhommet
What is your favorite thing about being a designer for your mom’s company, Interior Production?
The most rewarding part about being a designer alongside my mother is the fact that she allows me to think outside the box, and see my vision come to life from start to finish. I am not afraid to make mistakes, and instead, see mistakes as an opportunity to learn. I believe the best way to learn is to immerse myself in a non-judgmental environment that allows for vulnerability. Working and learning from my mom allows me to do just that.
I don’t have one favorite part of working with my mom. If I had to pick, it’s the entire design process. I love everything from beginning to end: laying out the fabric and matching the pattern; watching the fabric cut, sewn, and built; accompanying the creation to its new home; and finally, seeing the smile and appreciation in our customers’ eyes. I develop a relationship with every piece and project because it reminds me of a little newborn. It’s rewarding when someone can appreciate and enjoy my vision just as much as I do.
Now that I have a home in Paris, trying to navigate the red tape and figuring out the targeted market in France is my current focus.
You landed a prestigious internship in one of the world’s leading fashion capitals. What’s this experience been like for you so far?
So far, this internship has proven quite challenging, yet rewarding. Considering I am still trying to perfect my French in a corporate French environment, my coworker, friends, and employers have most definitely noticed. I had to step outside of my comfort zone, and communicate with my co-workers and boss in French, even when I was unsure of myself, and felt afraid to sound foolish. But, as with any new language, untying your tongue and actually starting to converse professionally is a process. Being the sole American in the company helped me to gain confidence not only in the language, but additionally in my ability to assimilate into any new environment. That is one of the most important lessons for young adults trying to break into any field, especially fashion.
What’s it like being the youngest of your co-stars on Bravo TV’s “Real Girlfriends In Paris”?
Though I am the youngest on the show, I never feel inadequate or immature. In fact, sometimes its the opposite, and I feel like I can relate very well with all of my co-stars. Since we are all at different stages in our lives, I am often looked at as ‘the kid that has a lot more to learn in life.’ There are moments when I am brushed off and not taken seriously, and others when I am turned to for advice.
I feel that having empathy is not age-related. I think this has to do with how I was raised. For as long as I can remember, my parents always treated my brothers and me as equals, as adults. I was exposed to the realities of adulthood from a young age: watching my mother interact daily with employees and customers, or growing up with my brothers, who are 10 and 13 years older than me. I never defined myself by my age.
While there are times when the age gap feels so prominent between my co-stars and me, I take it in good stride and even pride myself in it. I mean, hey, if I can take up studies in a foreign city alone at 19, land a high-profile internship, and start a business, then age really is just a number. □
Photography: Alexis Bonhommet
Article Credits
Emily’s Instagram: @emilyg
Emily’s TikTok: @eminparis
Bravo TV’s Website: https://www.bravotv.com/real-girlfriends-in-paris
Interior Production’s Website: https://www.interiorproductionny.com
Photo Credits: @alexis.bmt
