La Hoja
La Hoja is a stacking jewelry box that was designed to showcase the natural beauty of the vibrant, colorful corn husk native to the Mixtec region of Mexico. The jewelry box takes inspiration from the Totomoxtle project by Fernando Laposse, and in turn acts as a proposed product for their collection of home goods.
Inspiration
Fernando Laposse crafting the corn husk veneer.
Native Mixtec people employed by the Totomoxtle project.
Context
The Totomoxtle project started when Fernando Laposse wanted to implement the beautiful hues of the native corn husk into a line of home goods and furniture. Using the corn husk as a veneer, Laposse continues to explore and design various surfaces.
Impact
By working with the local Mixtec people, the project is able to bring jobs and opportunities to the region through employing the locals to cultivate the corn and craft the products.
Detailed carvings on Mixtec structure.
Mixtec standing figure of Dzavui.
Mixtec temple relics.
Culture
The initial form inspiration came from the native art and structures of the Mixtec and Oaxacan region.
Process
Form Ideation
The preliminary sketches came from an attempt to pay homage to the patterns and structures found in the Mixtec region. The final form is an abstraction of the traditional forms which allows the jewelry box to better fit Totomoxtle’s line of products.
Final
Project Goal
La Hoja and Totomoxtle aim to emphasize the need for a global focus in design in order to discover unique and powerful opportunities. The objective of bringing products like La Hoja to the intimacy of the home is to create a discussion about how people can contribute to the well-being and regeneration of native communities.