Sally Faith Steinmann is the owner and founder of MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® custom millinery for women located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
A native of Cape Cod, Sally grew up at a time when hats were going out of fashion. Yet as a little girl she was fascinated with millinery and her favorite movie was My Fair Lady. Inspired by her mother, a passionate knitter, and an aunt gifted in fabric art, Sally hand-sewed fanciful hats and costumes for her stuffed animals.
Years later Sally graduated from Wellesley College with studies in women’s issues, film and psychology. At Wellesley she learned how the fashion and film industries perpetuate the “size 6 standard of beauty” myth that women in this culture have been sold.
When she returned to the Cape, Sally’s mother handed her a simple pattern for knitting and felting a wool hat. Sally was captivated, and she brought her designs to a local artisan gallery where they caught the attention of Julia Harris. Encouraged, Sally started MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® in 1998 so that she could work with her customers, one-on-one. Still inspired by her studies at Wellesley, Sally’s mission with her hat company was to remind women that fashion, especially with hats, can be a form of self-expression as well as fun!
Over the years Sally created custom fabric hats for the Kentucky Derby, weddings and teas to name a few. Her millinery creations graced Her Majesty the Queen’s garden parties in Scotland, the Royal Ascot races and the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont.
Sally, always passionate about horses, became involved in racehorse aftercare. In 2009 she started an annual fundraiser, “Hats off to the Horses” to benefit Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement in Kentucky. Running for 13 seasons, “Hats Off” has raised more than $45,000 for the retired racehorses at Old Friends.
Sally’s hats have been featured on CNN.com, in The New York Times, the Royal Ascot Magazine, Victoria Magazine, Charleston Magazine (Bridal Issue), and the National Museum of Horse Racing and Hall of Fame.
For more information about Sally or her custom millinery please send her an email, she would love to hear from you! If you experience any difficulty in sending an email, please call the hat studio directly at 774-316-4977.
