Taking inspiration from this quote by Hermann Hesse, I want to see every single moment as a new beginning, as the start of a new story with a happy ending. But in tough times – like during a pandemic – I admit that it’s not always easy to maintain this state of constant joyful anticipation …

I received some incense sticks as a souvenir from our neighbour following a trip to Asia. I was eight years old at the time and they seemed infinitely precious to me. They smelt different to anything I’d encountered up until that point, and soon the whole linen cupboard where they were put smelt the same, enchanting and exotic …

Wabi-sabi, finding beauty in imperfection, is a Japanese concept of aesthetic values that we really like and wish to embrace in this spring issue 2020 of THE Stylemate magazine. We have once again put together a selection of many beautiful things for you to enjoy, some of which are virtually perfect, while others are so interesting that that could be deemed as their version of beauty. Grab your copy!