Maggie Sottero wedding dresses go on sale in Salt Lake City

Clara Delisio and Lil Stalnaker remember 1997 as the year an Australian bridal designer shocked the wedding world with the introduction of a two-piece corseted bridal outfit.

Ms Delisio said that while the style may have been popular in Australia, both she and Stalnaker questioned why anyone would wear such a risky or risqué outfit on their wedding day.

“People had no idea,” Delisio said.

A little-known Australian designer, Leslie Margaret (“Maggie”) Webster became Maggie Sottoro, and the brand took off and moved to the Wasatch Front. Nearly 30 years later, Webster’s daughter, Kelly Midgley, runs the company from its West Valley City headquarters, and the corseted bodice is still a hallmark of the designs.

Messrs. Delisio and Stalnaker, both avid sellers of Maggie Sottoro dresses in their Ohio boutiques, say the dresses strike a rare balance between on-trend and timeless design.

“Maggie Sotelo is one of the leading wedding dress designers in the industry,” Delisio said.

They had gathered on a hot July evening in the courtyard of the Grand America in downtown Salt Lake to watch Maggie Sottoro’s spring 2025 collection make its runway debut in the brand’s Salt Lake home base.

The Heart of Utah, the Eyes of the World

A Columbia statue peeking out from Salt Lake City Hall proves that the makeshift runway through the hotel’s courtyard is in fact located in Salt Lake City, but the dresses on display are designed for brides from all over the world, said Christina Blanchette, vice president of sales and marketing.

The brand’s three designer lines (Maggie Sottero, Rebecca Ingram, and Sottero & Midley) are each created with a slightly different bride in mind, each with their own unique personality expressed in intricate embroidery, color palettes, and other details, but each line includes a different take on Webster’s signature corset.

Maggie Sottero, the most versatile and contemporary line, showed black gowns in its Spring 2025 line, as well as dresses with plunging necklines and lots of sequins.

The company’s more economical line (most of the dresses were under $1,500), Rebecca Ingram, presented classic silhouettes with a contemporary flair, including A-line gowns with lace bodices, white satin ball gowns with high slits or large bows, and square necklines adorned with floral lace.

Sottoro & Midgrey is the brand’s self-described “couture” line, and its latest offering includes voluminous ball gowns, masses of satin, chiffon, tulle, and vibrant colors woven (or hand-painted) into floral patterns.

Amid the bold silhouettes and eye-catching details, every line also features at least one understated design with a high neck and long sleeves—the only visual clue to the brand’s Utah roots, and one that Blanchette says was designed specifically for Utah brides.

Maggie Sotelo is a family-owned business whose founding family belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the state’s primary religion, Blanchette said. The family and the brand relocated to Utah, the cultural capital of the religion.

But while the brand honors the family’s faith in some of its designs, Blanchette said Maggie Sotelo is not a Latter-day Saint brand. It is a global brand, and its dresses must appeal to brides and bridal shops in more than 70 countries.

“We cater to all faiths, all sizes, all ethnicities, all trends,” Blanchette said.

Blanchett says Maggie Sottoro doesn’t need to be based in a metropolitan area like New York or Paris to keep up with fashion trends, or even set new ones. Though the brand is headquartered in Utah, it has an eye on the world, from its retail stores, including a flagship in Sydney, where Webster got her start, to its remote employees and designers like Patricia Delaunay.

Delaunay, who lives and works in California, leads Maggie Sotelo’s sustainability efforts. She sources low-impact fabrics like recycled polyester, chiffon and tulle and helps other designers incorporate them into their dresses. She also runs the brand’s textile recycling program, which keeps 100% of unused materials and excess inventory out of landfills.

“I’ve been concerned about[fashion’s]environmental impact for a long time,” Delaunay said.

Sustainability is also becoming increasingly important to the modern bride, Blanchett added, noting that keeping up with fashion trends also means keeping up with consumer ethics – though Blanchett said those are ethics the brand shares and promotes.

And Salt Lake City remains deeply ingrained in Maggie Sottoro’s brand DNA, with the city increasingly becoming a “melting pot” of “vibrant and diverse” communities and personalities, Blanchette said.

“Salt Lake City’s inclusive and supportive atmosphere allows us to embrace and celebrate the individuality of each bride we serve,” Blanchette said.

Unveiling Ceremony

Despite its Utah roots, the July fashion show was the first time Maggie Sottero has shown its work in its hometown, says media manager Anya Enloe. Bridal Expo, where Maggie Sottero would have launched its new line, was postponed this year, but the brand wasn’t going to wait. So it held a fashion show modeled after a lavish wedding in the courtyard of the Grand America. Before the show, an acrobat team entertained guests, who ate and drank. After the show, a DJ got people on the dance floor.

With guests coming from all over the world, Blanchett said she hopes the night and the brand serve as proof that a high-fashion “global bridal brand” can succeed here in Utah.

Stalnaker and Delisio needed no persuasion: In the next few months, some of the 100-plus dresses they modeled will be on display in stores. Their next task, they say, is to decide which dresses will go on display.

“Tonight is fun,” Stalnaker said. “Tomorrow is serious.”

Shannon Sollitto is a Report for America corps member covering corporate accountability and sustainability for the Salt Lake Tribune. You can help her continue writing stories like this one by matching an RFA grant. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation of any amount by clicking here.