Currently, Nuove Forme is managed by Gianfranco Ghiretti and Alvino Bagni’s granddaughter, Maria Chiara Ghiretti along with some other well-known collaborators.
He was born in a hamlet of Lastra a Signa in 1919 and since childhood was interested in the pottery world. Thanks to the teachings of the artist Torello Santini, he began work in Arnaldo Pugi’s pottery workshop in Ponte Signa. After World War ended, Pugi himself would eventually finance Alvino Bagni, so that he could open his first workshop.
Alvino firm heavily relied on the work of family members. The first and most important was his wife Gina that would accompany him for his working life.
50’s and 60’s were crucial years for Bagni’s firm. During those years Bagni increasingly collaborated with some of the most important personalities of the American design and business community like Raymor (N.Y.) and Rosenthal. For them, Bagni created extremely modern pieces for his time.
The firm eventually moved in a bigger and more modern factory and the business got a new impetus. Alvino surrounded himself with collaborators and highly skilled artists as E.Borgini, M.Mannori, R.Buti, M.Santonocito and many more. Using his collaborators to get a perfect equilibrium between materials, technique, functionality, and aesthetic beauty.
Unfortunately, problems came with rise of globalization. The firm was still using handcraft methods of production and it couldn’t stand excessive cost reductions needed for the industrialized world.
Despite Alvino Bagni’s efforts to save his employees the firm had to close definitively in 1990.
In 1993 he returned to pottery with a new and improved Nuove Forme. He retreated after 8 years of work for health reasons.
Alvino died in 2009 at age 90. His entire work life having remained inspired by modesty, technique, passion and creativity.
The enormous collection of Alvino Bagni has nowadays became an authentic museum of lines and unique pieces. At the moment, this collection is scrupulously guarded by the new firm.