Ad Astra, per Aspera
The true story of a name that became a legendary company.
Firmino Savio was born into a humble peasant family in San Giovanni al Natisone, in the province of Udine, Italy in 1904… A young, resourceful and generous member of the Savio family, Firmino started working in city of Prato for a woodcarver named Strobino, where he learned the art of perfection. Strobino welcomed Firmino as a son and took him to Milan in 1932, where they sought refuge from fascist persecution.
Firmino remained in Milan until 1940, when he decided to return to Florence, the home of craftsmanship and woodcarving, and the birthplace of the Renaissance, a city where he could make the most of his creative talents. Here, in 1941, after having exhausted nearly all of his financial resources, he courageously opened a small artisan workshop in Via del Ronco, in the city’s Santo Spirito district. It was the first step in starting a business that would continue to grow over time.
The first collection by Firmino Savio, an expert artisan woodcarver, consisted of gilded wood chandeliers and hand-carved candlesticks. In the 1950s, Savio Firmino attracted the attention of the international market, especially in the United States, South Africa and the United Kingdom, with his collection of exclusive sculpted mirrors decorated with gold leaf, crystals, brass and semi-precious stones.
Following the successful performance of his business and a growing number of customers, especially international customers, Firmino moved his shop to Via Santo Spirito 1, making it possible for his children to begin working with their father. Guido, Firmino’s second son, who was still in school (he graduated from the State Art Institute of Florence at Porta Romana in 1959), joined his father’s business in 1955, and Amedeo started working in the family business in 1967, after Firmino’s death in 1963.
In the 1980s, Savio Firmino expanded its product range by introducing the Ambiente Notte Collection of bedroom furniture. During these years, Guido Savio designed and created the 1696 bed, which featured elegantly carved flowers and ribbons. The 1696 bed became Savio Firmino’s iconic product and is still the company’s internationally best-selling product.
In the 1990s, the company entered into its third generation. Today, Cosimo, Gregorio and Michela Savio head the family business together with the founder’s two sons, Amedeo and Guido. During this same decade, Savio Firmino opened its new headquarters in the industrial center of Scandicci, Florence.
The Notte Fatata collection was launched in 2008. Intended for children, this collection was specially designed by Guido Savio to celebrate the birth of his first granddaughter. An exclusive and complete collection of cots, beds, changing tables, castles and benches, it is the perfect interpretation of the Savio Firmino style for children.
In 2010, the love for excellence inspired the creation of a special division, Savio Interiors. Savio Interiors is made up of an internal team of professionals, architects, designers and engineers with experience in managing international supplies, who are dedicated to designing and developing solutions, combining finesse and functionality, in order to respond with tailor-made precision to specific furnishing needs.
In 2013, after being the sponsor of “The Cricket” at the 68th Edition of the Venice Film Festival, Savio Firmino produced its first film “L’amore è un cavallo bianco” (Love is a White Horse) to promote its new collections and to share the magic of Italian cinema and furniture for all fans of the Savio Firmino style.