Tell us about Maggie Sottero’s beginnings.

Maggie Sottero Designs launched in 1997 in Sydney, Australia. Lesley Webster, aka as “Maggie Sottero” owned several retail boutiques. She saw a need in the bridal and her intuition led to designing corset closure, 2-piece wedding dresses. They sold them in their boutiques and decided to take a chance in the US at the Las Vegas Bridal Market in 1997. They packed up a few gowns, had a small showroom and beyond their wildest dreams, they took off like wildfire. That dress style and construction created what we call, the “Maggie Magic!".

25 years later, Maggie Sottero has not looked back. Lesley assumed the alias of “Maggie Sottero” to honour her great-grandmother and a brand was born. Maggie began as a woman-led company, and that family legacy continues under the leadership of CEO, Kelly Midgley, Lesley’s daughter. Maggie Sottero Designs has two additional labels, Sottero and Midgley, and Rebecca Ingram.

This year, you celebrate your 25th anniversary– what are the greatest changes you have seen in the industry since you began?

There have been many changes throughout the bridal industry over the years. The unique element of the wedding industry is that our consumer is constantly changing and to that end so is Maggie and her designs. From the launch of the corset dress in 1997, when brides wanted to look 2 sizes smaller, to today’s consumer, who is embracing their figure and size, foregoing the heavily structured gown. Today’s brides are comfortable in who they are, and our gowns have adapted to celebrate that attitude with lightness and comfort.

Also, Maggie Sottero gowns, like many bridal gowns, are handmade, oftentimes taking over twelve-weeks to produce. In the age of Amazon and quick-to-buy items, Quick Ship gowns have been identified to meet the needs of those brides who buy with a tight turnaround.

There are always challenges and opportunities to innovate and meet brides where they are at.

Looking back at the Maggie Sottero legacy, who or what would you say has been your greatest influence?

Our Maggie brides continue to be our greatest influence. Our goal is to make every bride’s dream a reality, and we are committed to just that. Brides want a gown that matches their style and makes them feel like the best version of themselves. Each bride is different, unique, and they want their gown to be as individual as they are. Maggie Sottero believes in love and love for ALL, and we celebrate our differences.

Kelly Midgley, CEO, would also add that in addition to our beautiful brides, her mother and her grandmother have been two of her greatest influences. She is beyond grateful for their mentorship and leadership since she was a little girl.

There’s so much pressure for brands to come out with collections season after season – how do you keep them unique and innovative?

The wedding industry was hit incredibly hard during Covid, and as a supplier, we were focused on helping our authorized retailers adapt amid the circumstances of the pandemic. Maggie Sottero had to quickly adapt as it was right before market season was to kick off and launch the newest collections. It could have been easy for us to sit back and see how the pandemic would play out, but we had the opportunity to lead the industry, the retailers, and the consumers to make dreams a reality during times. With the retailer coaching and support, and the resources developed during this time, led to Maggie Sottero winning a Bridal Buyer Award for Best Customer Service.

Of course, there’s also the pressure of creating the unique and innovative collections season after season. To create beautiful, fresh designs, the design team does a lot of research of trends, needs of brides, fabrications, and designing under the inspiration of the love stories of our brides. Maggie also does a lot of developmental testing directly with brides to understand what is resonating and refining styles to be most saleable to make brides dreams a reality.

What trends continue to be popular with Maggie brides?

From boho and relaxed, to classic and glam, to simple and sophisticated, our Maggie brides are unique in their own ways. Within the 3 labels trends are captured to varying degrees and price points, from simple, sexy, to bows and 3D florals, to black or red wedding dresses, Maggie has all the trends covered. Maggie also offers Personalize It! This offering, allows brides to personalize their wedding gowns, from fabric layer changes, to lining a gown that may be too sexy, to extending trains or having detachable train for a 2 in one look.

What would you say are your top secrets to success/longevity, and how have you remained relevant and current in the styles you’re promoting?

The artistry and focus that goes into each design are what makes our one-of-a-kind dresses perfectly tailored and special for every bride 25 years later and still going strong. Maggie always keeps the bride and our retailer partners top of mind when designing and creating trust worthy and reliable business practices. We are a heart led business and is the foundation of our success!

What are your ambitions for the next 25 years?

Maggie Sottero has been known as a trail blazer in the bridal gown industry and our vision is to be as such as we look to what the next 25 years look like. From promoting diversity and inclusion, to offering value styles for each budget and Quick Ship gowns for each timeline, we will continue to focus on our brides and helping them achieve their dreams. This begins with our retailer partners welcoming brides into their shop, evolving to giving brides various options to help bring their visions to life. In the next 25 years, we will continue to offer brides innovative styling with personalization options to create their dream dress while creating win-win partnerships and solutions for our authorized retailers in an ever-evolving industry.

The talent in the industry is real, and meeting our brides where they are at continues to be very competitive. Our ambition is to be disruptive, to be relevant, and continue to lead from our heart space to bring best in class bridal gowns to our brides and retailers alike.