The New Paris Podcast

If you spend any amount of time on social media, chances are good you’ve come across the very viral videos of today’s guest. Cécilia Jourdan is a language teacher, content creator and entrepreneur who started Hello French in 2020 with an Instagram account that has since become a full blown business. She joins me today to talk about her trajectory from Paris to New York and in between, building a linguistic career, and what words and ideas seem to cut through the noise most on social media.  Mentioned in this episode: Hello French NYC Hello French on Instagram & TikTok The most viral video (on parenting) on Hello French Cécilia Jourdan in Le Monde

In the previous episode, you heard from four incredibly smart people invested in both raising awareness and pushing for change when it comes to the fashion industry as a whole. But what practical steps are needed? In this episode, I'm joined again by Aja Barber, Khémäis Ben Lakhdar, and Esha Chhabra to talk about accountability, transparency, decolonization, brands that are doing things right, and slowing down our own consumption as a means to extract ourselves from the performative cycle of fashion. Guests Aja Barber, activist, consultant and author of Consumed  Khémaïs Ben Lakhdar, fashion historian, lecturer, & PhD candidate at Paris-1 La Sorbonne Esha Chhabra, journalist and author of Working to Restore Mentioned in this episode Vogue Business Story on Post-Purchase Technology The Ugly History of Beautiful Things book Decolonizing Fashion Veja Nisolo Terra Thread Grace Wales Bonner Jamini  Habile  Nona Source About a Worker Special thanks to Matthew Jordan for producing and editing this episode.

(Special two-part episode!) Every season, all eyes are on the Parisian runways as onlookers try to get a peak at what big and disruptive trends await for the following year. But few know about the history of how this industry came to be, the role of colonialism in its development, and how the industry upholds many of the same ideas and practices today. As you will discover, the legacy of colonialism lives on within the fashion industry, and not only in France. You’re going to hear from a fashion historian, environmental journalists, and activists over the course of the next two episodes who will help me unpack the darker side to la mode, why it’s crucial to amend old ways and correct for generations of unethical labor and overproduction, and what the idea of decolonizing fashion really means. GUESTS Aja Barber, activist and author of Consumed  Khémaïs Ben Lakhdar, fashion historian, lecturer, & PhD candidate at Paris-1 La Sorbonne Esha Chhabra, journalist and author of Working to Restore Catherine Dauriac, President of Fashion REvolution France  SOURCES The King of Couture: The Atlantic The Empire of Fashion and the Rise of Capitalism in 18th century France (William H. Sewell) Colonialism's Clothing (Victoria L. Rovine) Aja on Al Jazeera Tiffanie Darke's Substack "It's Not Sustainable"  Clothing landfills in Ghana's textile market Waste Colonialism Special thanks to Matthew Jordan for producing and editing this episode.

It’s la rentrée! I’m back to my usual home studio and routine which means I’m ready to kick off the fall, and the end of season 7, with some fresh conversations. Let’s kick off September with a friend, entrepreneur and previous guest of this show, Jay Swanson. We’re going to talk about his new project, Paris in My Pocket, Paris news, and what you really need to know if you’re coming to the city this fall.  Mentioned in this episode: Jay Swanson on YouTube Jay Swanson on Instagram Paris in My Pocket Ajiri Aki episode Rugby World Cup The end of e-scooters Chulita (tortas) Thank you to Matthew Jordan for producing and editing this episode.

Of all the cuisines that have had a presence in Paris but always deserved to be more prominent, Lebanese cooking ranks high among them. France is home to the largest Lebanese diaspora in Europe so it’s no surprise that key dishes and ingredients are familiar to many diners. But most establishments hew to classics— that is until the opening of Kubri on the rue Amelot at the end of last year that has lent a creative, contemporary twist. That’s thanks to today’s guest and tremendously talented chef, Rita Higgins. We talk about her foray into food, how she updates Lebanese cooking for Paris, and why she thinks it’s been such a hit with Parisian diners.   Mentioned in this episode: Kubri Restaurant Chef Rita Higgins Le Monde profile of Rita Baron restaurant Beirut Thanks to Matthew Jordan for recording and sound editing

We are quickly approaching three years since my second book The New Parisienne was released. The year 2020, as you may remember, was not an ideal time to release art into the world. Later that year, we would see that the best thing you could have offered people sheltering at home was food and cookbooks,  home decor books, or any kind of guide to DIY-ing your existence. A book about women, including women of colour, should have resonated strongly given its release in the middle of a period of racial reckoning that reverberated globally. But my book still had Paris in the title, and in the minds of many editors and thought leaders, it was associated with travel which was, more or less, at a standstill. Even with an inauspicious start, the book has had a great life thus far, largely thanks to many of you who listen to this show and follow my work! And the conversations that have emerged from its pages and continue on this show haven't stopped inspiring me. So in honor of the third anniversary of the book, I'd like to give away a signed copy to one listener, wherever you may be. TO ENTER: All you have to do is leave a written review of this podcast on Apple or Spotify and then fill out this quick form before July 7 so that I know how to reach you when I select a winner. And if you'd like the copy in French, I can arrange that, too. Thanks, as always, for supporting this show, my work, and the stories that really need to be told. Thanks to Matthew Jordan for recording and sound editing on this episode.

Aside from the last episode of last season, which was more about the President than the World Cup, I’ve almost never talked about sports on this show. And that’s strange given the role it plays  in local culture. When I learned about the work of today’s guest, I knew it was time to record a special episode. Lindsay Krasnoff is a historian and sports diplomacy expert who teaches at NYU and wrote a book called Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA that will be released in September. She’s a regular global sports commentator for CNN, France 24, ESPN and many other outlets and has a new project that puts the spotlight on French and American sports voices through the prism of sports diplomacy. We’re going to talk all about that, about the big NBA draft this month that has the sports media going mad for Victor Wembanyama, and what the forthcoming Olympics in Paris can tell us about Franco-American diplomatic relationship.  Mentioned in this episode: Lindsay Krasnoff FranceAndUs Victor Wembanyama and the NBA draft lottery Paris Université Club Rudy Gobert Sports Diplomacy Paris Olympics Thanks to Matthew Jordan for recording and sound editing on this episode.

Of all the cooking essentials we buy and consume, few are as taken for granted or even misrepresented as extra virgin olive oil. Imagine you’re in France scanning the shelves in your local market for a new bottle. The labels might lead you to believe the oil is 100% French, Italian or Greek but inspect the fine print and a fuller picture emerges: Pressed in Italy, Produced Outside of the European Union. And that’s if the bottles specify that distinction at all. But if I learned anything from reporting a story for Afar Magazine about today’s guest, it’s just how much of the olive oil that’s exported in the world is from another country and another region entirely. Tunisia is the world’s 3rd largest exporter and the 1st outside of the E.U. and yet most people would be surprised to know this. Sarah Ben Romdane, the French-Tunisian founder of the brand Kaïa who splits her time between Paris and Tunisian city of Medhia, joins me today to go into context of the olive oil business, the role French colonialism plays in Tunisia’s erasure from the olive oil story, and how having a foot in Paris can help change the narrative.  Mentioned in this episode: My Afar Magazine story Kaïa The brand on Instagram Taste of Paris Chanceux La Grande Epicerie Sabah NYC Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!

If you like art or are even mildly interested in art, Paris has both an abundant and intimidating level of choice. The exact number of museums varies according to how you might define a museum but it’s been estimated that there are over 130 museums in Paris, including marquee destinations and smaller museums that showcase a wide range of art, history, science, and culture. And if you like or are curious about contemporary art, there are countless galleries and private foundations. Navigating it all can be slightly overwhelming which is why I wanted to bring on Alex Weinress, an art industry professional who offers bespoke art experiences through her company The Seen Paris. In our chat, she speaks to the city’s art scene, how she approaches viewing and understanding art, the best smaller institutions to visit, and what she thinks about immersive exhibitions.  Mentioned in this episode: The Seen Paris Alex on Instagram David Zwirner gallery in Paris Emmanuel Perrotin gallery Galerie Templon Jeanne Vicérial Almine Rech Gallery Hiba Schahbaz, Pakistani artist Fondation Louis Vuitton Pinault Collection The Broad, Los Angeles Atelier des Lumières Carrière des Lumières Galerie Mennour Germaine Richier Antoine Bourdelle / Bourdelle Museum La Grande Brasserie Musée Gustave Moreau Musée de Montmartre The New Paris Dispatch newsletter Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!

The work to live vs live to work ideology was among the earliest characteristics of French life that appealed to me as a student. I didn’t know the extent to which that would bear out until I had lived in Paris for a number of years and discovered it firsthand. For Ajiri Aki, the Nigerian-American founder of the online linens and antiques brand Madame de la Maison, her decade in Paris has similarly crystallised a number of life lessons which she has now put on paper in her new book: Joie, a Parisian’s Guide to Celebrating the Good Life. Ajiri was one of the women I was fortunate enough to profile in The New Parisienne and is also a dear friend so I’m excited to get to have her on the show to dig into this beautiful, inspiring project. Mentioned in this episode: Madame de la Maison Ajiri Aki on Instagram Joie (order the book!) OECD report on French productivity Paula Sutton, Hill House Vintage Marché aux Puces de Saint Ouen Marché Vernaison Victoria Antiques Foire de Chatou Thanks to Matthew Jordan for technical production and editing on this episode!