A few months ago I came across Sabellar, a beautifully curated online concept store for artisan made products and vintage clothing. I fell in love with their philosophy and their gorgeous vintage blouses and was so excited when the founder Maria agreed on an interview.

How would you describe Sabellar in one sentence?

Sabellar is an online fashion and decoration concept store that pays tribute to the Mediterranean way of life (my family and I are Spaniards), to our history and the craftsmanship of local artisans.

When did you decide to create Sabellar and why?

I founded Sabellar two years ago. I wanted to celebrate Spanish craftsmanship and show how contemporary, glamourous and artistic it can be, even if they same techniques have been used for centuries. I started to source and meet several artisans and realized how important it was to tell the story behind their products. I wanted people to know how much time it takes to make them, and how much care and skill there is behind the production process.

What products do you offer and where do you source them?

Most of our products are from Spain, in particular the Island of Mallorca. All products on www.sabellar.com have a story. We offer beautiful, locally crafted products. They range from women’s accessories to home decoration and come from small family run businesses.

We also sell unique vintage clothing. The majority is made of beautiful Majorcan cotton and linen blouses from the early 20th century. I would say they are our bestsellers.

majorcan blouse vintage fashion sustainable

Where are your products available?

Online on www.sabellar.com but also in a few selected Japanese stores such as Mariet, World, Sen to Sence and Pamie.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I wake up at 6am and always have a glass of warm water with lemon juice and some ginger. Then I meditate for 5-10 minutes before I plan out the day ahead. Once my daughter has left for school (that is usually at 8.15am) I begin to work, either from home or in a café close by. It is important to go out and see people now and then.

I am definitely a morning person so those first hours in the day are the most productive ones for me. I use them to source new products, write and carry out any other creative tasks I need to do. At noon I go to Bikram yoga or exercise at the gym. After that I see my husband for lunch and then continue with work. My afternoons are usually filled with admin tasks and wrapping orders.

I pick up my daughter at 5.30pm and make sure I can spend the rest of the evening with her. Before I go to bed I check my inbox one more time (as a lot of my clients are in the US and Japan) and think about things I need to do the following day. I then read a bit or watch a series on Netflix.

What is your favourite part of being a business owner?

That I can control my time. Having my own schedule and being able to work everywhere is a luxury (but also a double-edge sword!).

What would you recommend new to business owners? Is there anything in particular they need to consider before they start their own company?

Setting up your own business is not easy and can become quite lonely sometimes. Don’t underestimate the work load. You definitely work more than when you work for someone else as you always think about new products, new campaigns and things you need to sort out etc. It can be exhausting and that is why it is so important that when you work on your business schedule that you also plan in time for yourself and your family.

Also, communicate! There is not much point in having a great product if you nobody knows about it.

What is your definition of Heiterkeit (cheerfulness)?

It’s my daughter’s loud laughter. Heiterkeit to me also means to have my mind at peace, to be happy with myself and what I have in this moment.

Images: dosmasenlamesa.com for Sabellar

Interview: Katharina Geissler-Evans, heiter magazine