ajour nr. 1

Ajour is a biannual Norwegian magazine dedicated to personal style, home decor, and smart consumption. the magazine is published in Norwegian only. Each issue features conversations with insightful individuals who have a wealth of life experience, answering questions many of us are curious about. How do you host a successful dinner party? How do you know if it’s time for a divorce? When should you consider moving? What makes certain pieces of furniture and clothing timeless? What stories do our clothes tell about us? And how do we care for leather furniture so that it can be passed down to future generations?

The editors of Ajour, Hélène Andersen and Kristin Valla, bring extensive experience from Norway’s media and cultural industries. We also carry Kristin's latest book, Egne Steder. Hélène and Kristin first met nearly twenty years ago while working at the newly launched fashion magazine Costume. The idea for their company, Andersen & Valla, was born on a May afternoon in 2015, at a café on Rue de Rivoli in Paris, after a chance work encounter. They realized their shared desire to create something together. Just six months later, they took the leap and accepted severance packages from their respective media jobs—Aftenposten and Bonnier Media—feeling both nervous and exhilarated. Since then, they have produced content for a wide range of clients, including the Munch Museum, Oslo Design Fair, Astrup Fearnley Museum, Talent Norge, Norwegian Crafts, the Northern Norway Festival, and Black Box Theatre, among others. They have created many publications for other clients but always knew they would one day launch their own. And here they are.

When Kristin approached us with the question of whether we would be interested in bringing their latest project, Ajour, to our shop, our immediate answer was YES. We are currently the only ones in Stavanger to offer it. How lucky are we! This first issue of Ajour was published in October, 2024.

fun fact: Ajour refers to the French words à jour, which means "up to date" or "opp til dagen" på norsk.

language: norwegian/norsk