For Marcantonio Brandolini, there’s no place like Venice. Having left the city of his birth at sixteen — first for boarding school in Switzerland, then on to London, Argentina and Milan — the President and Creative Director of glassware company Laguna~B eventually realised that "Venice actually was the best place for me to spend my life." It’s not hard to see why. Often found on his boat (like many a seasoned local) coasting around the city’s enchanting canals or commuting to work on Murano Island, the heart of the eponymous industry, water is a critical component to the Venetian every day.
When we speak, Brandolini is just back from a swim at a beach, a stone’s throw from his home in the heart of the city, the historic Palazzo Brandolini. “I go to [the beach], have a quick dip and I really understand the potential of Venice, and how amazing the lifestyle is here. It’s fantastic.” Laguna~B offers boat tours to customers, believing that the true life and potential of Venice is best experienced from the water.
Brandolini’s love and passion for his hometown translates into his work. The company, famous for its colourful, sculptural glassware pieces that reinterpret the classic goto de fornace (glasses traditionally made by glass masters’ assistants with remnants that remained at the end of the working day) was founded by his late mother, Marie, in 1996. Since Brandolini took the helm in 2016, Laguna~B’s mission has been to create the most environmentally-friendly, genuinely carbon neutral company possible, for the sake both of the planet and of his beloved Venice.
Beyond highlighting the natural beauty of Venice from the company’s ‘Laguna~B Boat’, the company’s mission statement is all about sustainability; creating quality, lasting pieces in an environmentally friendly way while ensuring a positive future for generations to come. He also collaborates regularly with other brands, expanding connections between Venice and other companies worldwide, such as with the Carolina Bucci home fragrance, Villa Colombo.
