Luxurious ceramic Italian figurine for the living room - Design Alvino Bagni

FROM ALVINO BAGNI TO NUOVE FORME

Nuove Forme was founded in 1993, inheriting the legacy of the ceramic company

Alvino Bagni.

Nuove Forme is currently managed by Gianfranco Ghiretti and Alvino Bagni’s granddaughter, Maria Chiara Ghiretti, as well as several long-standing and key collaborators.

ALVINO BAGNI

A journey full of passion, craftsmanship, and creativity

Alvino Bagni was born in the village of Lastra a Signa in 1919 and was interested in ceramics from a young age. Thanks to the mentorship of artist Torello Santini, he began working in the workshop of the ceramic factory Arnaldo Pugi in Ponte a Signa. After the war, Pugi himself provided him with funding, enabling him to open his first workshop.
Original history of Ceramiche Bagni begins with 3,500 plates bearing the inscription “I like Ike,” created for Dwight D. Eisenhower’s campaign, who became the 34th President of the United States in 1953.

Alvino involved many family members in his work, primarily his wife Gina, who accompanied him throughout his professional life.

The 1950s and 1960s were pivotal for the Bagni brand, which strengthened its collaborations with leading figures in American design and business, such as Raymor (New York) and Rosenthal, for whom he created highly modern objects for that time.

Relocating the brand to a larger, more modern factory gave it new momentum. Alvino surrounded himself with exceptionally talented collaborators and artists, such as E. Borgini, M. Mannori, R. Buti, M. Santonocito, and many others, with whom he achieved a perfect balance between material, technique, functionality, tradition, and aesthetic beauty.

By 1980, the factory employed over 100 people and became synonymous with high-quality artistic production, renowned for intricately crafted, sophisticated items made using new, experimental techniques.

Unfortunately, globalization brought challenges, and the brand, still committed to a “craftsman’s” way of working, was unable to cope with excessive cost reductions.

Despite efforts to save the workforce, the factory was ultimately closed in 1990.

It wasn’t until 1993 that the brand made a comeback, founding Nuove Forme, which after eight years, Alvino retired from due to health reasons.

Alvino passed away in 2009 at the age of 90. His career was an incredibly fulfilling journey marked by humility, craftsmanship, passion, and creativity.