find us on:
Bridal Gown Designer
Background:
“Bridal is a commodity. It’s not fashion. It pays the bills. But mostly,
licensing pays the bills, makes the ready-to-wear possible.” Vera Wang
One of the most influential fashion designers working today, Vera Wang is
recognized for her wedding gown collection among other specialties. She has made
the wedding dress of stars Sharon Stone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Lopez,
Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, among others. A former serious figure skater, she
has also designed costumes for celebrated skaters like Nancy Kerrigan and
Michelle Kwan. She won a 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from Savannah College
of Art and Design and was named Council of the Fashion Designers of America’s
Women’s wear designer of the year in 2005.
As for her private life, the American beauty of Chinese lineage has been married
to businessman Arthur Becker since 1989. They have two adoptive daughters,
Cecilia and Josephine, who both currently attend The Chapin School. The family
currently resides in New York City.
Figure Skater
Childhood and Family:
In New York, New York, Vera Wang was born on June 27, 1949 to an affluent
family. Her father started and had a chemical company. Vera’s paternal
grandfather was a military general in China and her maternal grandmother was a
warlord in China. She was educated at The Chapin School and the Sorbonne in
Paris. While in Paris, young Vera frequently attended fashion shows with her
mother. She also studied at Sarah Lawrence College, from which she earned a
degree in art history.
In addition to academic excellent, Vera was encouraged by her parents to develop
her athletic prowess. She was trained as a figure skater, and in 1968, she
competed at U.S. Figure Skating Championships. When she failed to make the US
Olympic team, Vera shifted gears to fashion.
On June 22, 1989, Vera was married to her fiancé, computer executive Arthur
Becker. The couple adopted two daughters, Cecilia (born in 1990) and Josephine
(born in 1993). Now, her husband is the CEO of an information technology
services company called Navisite.
Vera Wang on Weddings
Career:
An international competitive skater, Vera Wang turned to fashion when she failed
to make the US Olympic team. She worked as a Senior Fashion Editor for Vogue
magazine form 1969 until 1985. During her sixteen-year tenure at Vogue, Wang
interacted with the world’s primary designers and brought their ideas and sense
of style to the world. Many of these designers became personal friends and
tutors and helped Wang intensify her knowledge of the industry of fashion.
After departing Vogue, Wang worked for Ralph Lauren as a design director for two
years, and by year 1990, she had gone forth on her own by opening a magnificence
salon at the respected Carlyle Hotel in New York City to display her bridal
collection. The Vera Wang label soon took flight. It received accolades from the
fashion elite for its deluxe fabrics, excellent detailing and modern
interpretation of classic lines.
As a paramount designer of bridal gowns, Wang has designed wedding gowns for
such celebrities as Jennifer Garner, Sharon Stone, Sarah Michelle Gellar,
Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Avril Lavigne and Mariah Carey. Additionally,
she has created the wedding dress of Heidi Klum, Tiffani Thiessen, Victoria
Beckham, and Judith Nathan, the bride of ex-NYC mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.
Wang’s cherished knowledge of skating combined with her taste and design
aptitude captured the attention of public all over the world when silver
medalist Nancy Kerrigan wore her unique design for the 1994 Olympics. Since
then, she has been actively contributed in designing at the Olympic level for
other popular skaters, including Michelle Kwan.
Nowadays, Wang has spread out her brand name through her own fragrance, jewelry,
shoe, eyewear and house ware collections. In 2001, she added an author to her
endeavors by publishing a book titled “Vera Wang on Weddings,” which was
released by Harper Collins. More recently, the design expert teamed up with
lensman Paolo Roversi to give her clothes dimension in her latest ad campaign.
Rothko’s paintings were renowned for their brightness, a combination of
brilliant hues and broad, thin washes of color.
Wang picked up the CFDA (Council of the Fashion Designers of America) women’s
wear designer of the year in 2005, and was awarded the 2006 André Leon Talley
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Awards:
