THE GOTO
Everything started when Marie Brandolini invented the Goto in 1994. A Parisian glass design pioneer, she was inspired by the informal glass cups the Murano masters made using leftovers from their work in the furnace. Amused by this “pure game of chance,” Marie reinterpreted the process to create the Goto collection, combining traditional Murano techniques with an innovative, pop aesthetic approach.
Marie Brandolini in the Furnace with a Master Glassmaker [second half 1990s]
Elle Decor Italia (Teresa Ciani), [1995] (Goto and Fantasia collections)
After moving to Venice in 1988, leaving behind her job in New York, Marie could finally pursue her creative talent. An idea had clicked in her mind after her stepfather gifted her a stock of old goti de fornasa from a nearby antique shop. These glasses were traditionally made by casually mixing glass scraps without worrying about their appearance. Moreover, used by the glass masters to drink from during their workdays, the goto de fornasa wasn’t meant to leave the furnace. Nonetheless, Marie saw in their varied aesthetics the opportunity to create something new and personal. She reinterpreted this undefined process and designed her Goto in 1994. The same year, she established Laguna~B’s first studio out of her penthouse in Palazzo Brandolini.