Wabi Sabi – The praise of simplicity
At ÁBBATTE, we craft pieces that celebrate the subtle, the ephemeral, and the suggestive; qualities that may be invisible at first glance. It's an aesthetic sensibility that finds a melancholic beauty in the everyday.
Wabi-sabi is the Eastern counterpart of minimalism, deeply rooted in nature. This Japanese concept refers to the ability to find beauty in imperfection.
Originating in Buddhist practice, wabi-sabi teaches that true liberation doesn’t come from logical or intellectual knowledge alone, but from a genuine and internal emotional understanding; one that is reflected in how we live and act.
Wabi suggests rustic simplicity, freshness, or stillness, whether in natural forms or handcrafted objects. It also embraces irregularities and imperfections that arise in the making process, lending uniqueness and quiet elegance to each piece. Sabi is the serene beauty that comes with age; when the life of an object is visible in its patina and gentle wear.
At ÁBBATTE, we weave pieces that honor the imperfections of the handmade; like the double alpaca blanket pictured in a photograph by Manolo Yllera, styled by Amaya de Toledo for AD España. It was handwoven on a manual loom using natural fibers (raw and charcoal alpaca) joined with visible blue stitching. Each detail is the work of our weavers in Collado Hermoso, Castilla.
Nature is ever-present at ÁBBATTE. Our workshop is nestled beside the Monastery of Santa María de la Sierra, on the northern slope of the Sierra de Guadarrama, where an oak grove meets a pine forest. We carefully source the finest natural fibers from across the world: alpaca from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, wool from León, European linen, and a remarkable silk from France.
Text: María Olmos Mochales
Photo: Manolo Yllera, styling by Amaya de Toledo for AD España