Photo By Gail
If you’re looking for a piece of furniture that doesn’t just sit there but instead tells a deeply layered story — equal parts eco-conscious innovation, cultural revival, and visual poetry — look no further than Fernando Laposse’s Lovebird Agave Cabinet.
Recently added to the Brooklyn Museum’s permanent collection, this sculptural cabinet is a showpiece in every sense of the word. But calling it a cabinet almost feels reductive. It’s more like a creature —soft-edged, inviting, and covered in shaggy, colorful “feathers” made from dyed agave fibers. Think: Big Bird goes haute couture, with a sustainability mission as a bonus.
Laposse, a London-based Mexican designer known for fusing traditional craft with radical ecological storytelling, created the piece in 2021 as part of a limited edition of three (plus one prototype). The cabinet’s rounded form and whimsical proportions were inspired by a lovebird, hence the name, but its real significance lies in the materials — and the message.
Agave: The Unexpected Star
The “feathers” that give the cabinet its mesmerizing texture are actually made from the fibrous waste of the agave plant — the same spiky succulent used to make mezcal. Working closely with a community of Indigenous farmers and craftspeople in Oaxaca, Laposse developed a new biomaterial using the leftover agave leaves, turning agricultural byproducts into colorful, tactile coverings that are both biodegradable and durable.
This collaboration is more than aesthetic; it’s regenerative. The communities Laposse works with use reforestation and crop diversification methods to restore eroded land and preserve endangered farming traditions. In short: this cabinet is part of a circular economy that champions both environmental health and cultural heritage.
Design That Makes You Feel Something
Measuring over six feet wide, the Lovebird Agave Cabinet is playful in scale and irresistibly touchable. The undulating surface and vivid hues invite interaction, while the birch plywood and Canadian maple structure ensure strength and longevity. The inside is just as thoughtful, with clever compartments and steel mesh elements giving it real function beneath the flamboyance.
It’s no surprise that the cabinet has found a home at the Brooklyn Museum, where it’s now featured in their Design: 1880 to Now galleries. It stands out in the best way — next to glass, ceramics, and mid-century pieces, it feels like the future — or at least the kind of future we should be building toward: one where design is beautiful, purposeful, and rooted in care.
Why It Matters
Laposse is part of a new generation of designers rethinking what luxury means in the 21st century. His work — whether made of corn husks, avocado pits, or agave fiber — shows that design can be a tool for storytelling, activism, and healing. The Lovebird Agave Cabinet is more than a collectible — it’s a symbol of what happens when art, ecology, and craft traditions collide in the most beautiful way.