JOIE

A joyful, aspirational, and approachable guide to living the Parisian way, from fashion maven and founder of the French lifestyle brand Madame de la Maison.

When Nigerian American Aki was in college, she made the life-changing decision to take a day trip to Paris while studying abroad. Knowing nothing about French culture and speaking absolutely no French, she nonetheless took on the role of the flaneur (or flaneuse) and spent the day wandering around the city, exploring and experiencing, and fell in love with the Parisian life. After working in fashion and getting her master's degree in decorative arts, Aki moved to Paris full time. It was only then that she started absorbing lessons from the French: finding beauty in simple things every day, decorating with fresh flowers and flea market finds, taking time to find the best ingredients for a dish and gathering with loved ones around the table to share a meal or a glass, and perhaps most importantly, learning how to être - just be.

In this beautifully photographed volume, Aki shows readers all the things she's learned living in France, from taking it slow and savor life (and a café), to carefully considering the best ingredients to prepare dinner with friends, including the right wine pairings, to how to become a flaneur in your own backyard. Including interviews with experts, JOIE makes you eager to book your flight to the City of Lights and bring that magic with you wherever you are in the world.


Ajiri Aki is the co-author of WHERE'S KARL? and has worked as a stylist and on fashion exhibitions for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of the City of New York. After moving to Paris, Ajiri started her successful design business, Madame de la Maison, a rental company and online boutique. Ajiri currently lives in Paris, France, with her husband and two children.