If Lily Collins' Emily in Paris character was real, she'd definitely be on Real Girlfriends in Paris.
At least, that's what many fans thought when they watched the fabulous trailer for Bravo's newest reality series, which follows six American expats living, working and looking for love in the City of Lights.
Now, RGIP's Victoria Zito is weighing in on the accuracy of the show's Emily in Paris connections.
"It's really hard not to make the comparison to the two, especially with how famous and how successful Emily in Paris was," Victoria exclusively told E! News. "But our show gives a more raw and authentic perspective of what life is actually like there."
Of course, there are the similarities—for instance, Victoria teased a possible romance with her neighbor, a là Emily in Paris—but the differences can't go unnoticed.
"Our show, especially with the documentary style that Bravo has," she continued, "shows such a real-life version."
Growing up in a conservative family in Texas, she said she "didn't even know" she could have a job in fashion before getting accepted to the prestigious Parsons School of Design in Paris.
Now, she's the head designer at nascent fashion brand Chloe Colette.
"I'm living my dream life," Victoria gushed. "As a designer, I've always loved giving a part of myself into someone else's universe and learning about them. I'm an artist first at heart, I've been painting since I was very young. And then realizing that I could actually have a career in fashion, which is something that I just naturally loved growing up—I'm doing my dream job and I'm really excited to see where the next steps take."
Victoria said it was easy making Paris her new home, especially because of the city's enchanting history and unique flair.
"I think everyone finds something different in Paris," she said. "But when I speak for myself, the fashion aspect of it—it's where all the greats were. There's something magical when you're just going to get a coffee. You're walking in the same literal footsteps, same sidewalk as Yves Saint Laurent or Karl Lagerfeld or any of the other greats. You never know what is going to come out of the night, you never know who you're gonna meet."
That's not to say there wasn't a little bit of culture shock getting used to the French way of life.
"I think the biggest thing for me is the smiling," she said with a laugh. "I come from where if you make eye contact with someone—as most of the U.S.—it's very rude if you don't smile. Whereas in Paris, you don't smile at strangers. If you smile at someone you're inviting them over. It's like flirting and it's such a difference."
Real Girlfriends in Paris premieres tonight, Sept. 5, at 9:15 p.m. with two back-to-back episode on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family)