Maggie Sottero Designs Drives Inclusivity Efforts with All Bodies, All Brides

Maggie Sottero Designs, one of the most recognized bridal gown manufacturers in the world, shows its support for accessibility for all in the bridal space through its partnership with All Bodies, All Brides. Through Maggie Sottero Designs’ diversity, equity, and inclusivity efforts, raising awareness around and providing space for underrepresented communities in the bridal industry is a core value of the organization. Maggie Sottero Designs is honored to have the opportunity to partner with All Bodies, All Brides and continues to deepen its efforts to support and spread awareness around accessibility.

“Maggie Sottero Designs is dedicated to its mission surrounding love and love for all, and with that comes the responsibility to uplift and raise awareness around accessibility in the bridal industry,” shared Vice President of Sales and Marketing Christina Blanchette. “We strive to use our position in the bridal world to elevate and enhance the experiences of those in marginalized communities.”

All Bodies, All Brides

When asked about the mission behind All Bodies, All Brides, Katie Horan, founder, replied, “My older brother, Mark, is on the autism spectrum, and I can remember many times from my childhood where people treated him poorly because they believed ‘something was wrong with him,’” said Horan. “I founded All Bodies, All Brides to encourage bridal shop owners, designers, stylists, and other industry professionals alike to learn how making their spaces more accessible and inclusive also elevates their exceptionality.” All Bodies, All Brides has a vision to focus on accessibility, inclusivity, and creating a new standard of personalized service in the bridal industry. Its four pillars include body positivity, language inclusivity, gender neutrality, and disability-minded communication and action.

Maggie Sottero Designs x All Bodies, All Brides Styled Shoot

Together, both brands created a shoot to bring awareness to brides with disabilities to celebrate that they, too, can experience their dream gown and wedding. Simply Blush Bridal, an authorized Maggie Sottero Designs retailer located in Wendell, North Carolina, hosted the event. The four beautiful models represented the cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and spinal cord injury communities. In collaboration with KStars Photography and founder of OMA Lovely Looks, Olivia Atkinson, these models experienced beautiful makeup and hair services, donned Maggie Sottero gowns, took part in the photo shoot and felt like true royalty for the day.

“Being part of an event like this is something I never thought I’d do, and it gives me a lot of hope to get to do it again for my own wedding in the future,” said Macy Messer, a blogger and Meredith alumna with Cerebral Palsy. When asked to describe her experience during the styled shoot, Messer said, “fun and emotional.”

The Initiative to Train Dress Boutiques

Maggie Sottero Designs is furthering its inclusivity efforts one step further by inviting Katie Horan to co-host a webinar for all of its Authorized Retailers alongside its Primed for Success team to train boutiques on how to make their shops more accessible and inclusive.

“Shopping for a wedding dress can be stressful for anyone, but especially for someone who has mobility issues or other types of disabilities,” said model Emma Bailey, who is a student at Meredith College with a Spinal Cord Injury. “Having bridal shops do these workshops and being informed with how to handle people with disabilities and to help make their experience as comfortable as possible helps ease the anxiety that someone might have walking into that.”

Maggie Sottero Designs’ partnership with All Bodies, All Brides to facilitate this styled shoot is just a part of Maggie’s journey to cultivating a more inclusive environment in the bridal industry, and the brand looks forward to continuing its efforts.

For more information on All Bodies, All Brides, please visit its website.

For more information on Simply Blush Bridal, please visit its website.

For more information about Maggie Sottero Designs, visit its website.

Photos courtesy of Maggie Sottero Designs