WABI SABI is the concept of seeing the beauty in an imperfect and ever-changing life. When everything changes with time and nothing lasts forever, it can be easy to feel paralyzed from how fleeting everything feels. However, through the lens of this concept, impermanence is embraced instead of feared. It is the belief that things are more meaningful because it doesn’t last.
The term itself can be viewed as two words that don’t translate perfectly into English: Wabi, the melancholy and serenity of being alone and away from society, and Sabi, the effect of time upon objects. In art books, Wabi Sabi is called ‘Flawed Beauty’: where the flaws of the object become what draws us to them, and the object is not seen as less because of it. It’s the mismatched cups that still seem to fit together, the repaired kintsugi dishware, and the endearment to the imperfect shapes and mistakes that tell the story of the hands that crafted it.
In some ways, the Wabi Sabi concept is a reflection of ourselves – imperfect but no less loved.
Nature is the greatest inspiration of the Wabi Sabi concept, the epitome of ever-changing and fleeting. It then follows that objects made with this concept in mind are often made from natural materials like wood and clay. With this, no two objects are exactly the same. And, in a world where many things are mass-manufactured, this uniqueness and its imperfections are a welcomed sign of life.
The impermanence of life and the flow of time is felt most keenly by parents watching their kids grow up. Inevitable and fleeting, yet so much more important because of that, the progression of a child’s childhood is a beautiful bittersweet process to witness. It is why parents can appreciate the philosophy of Wabi Sabi the most.
Recognizing this, Lou Lou James® embraces Wabi Sabi, sharing the concept through their collection of natural woodenware. Each piece in their home collection is sculpted with care, from their tableware collection that includes centrepiece dishes and serving boards made from solid teak wood reclaimed and crafted in Bali, to the mini tableware sets of wooden mugs, bowls, and plates offered by their Wabi Sabi Baby Collection that are safe for both play and use.
Check out their WABI SABI Collection here at Lou Lou James®!