Vera Wang

Vera Wang
Name	Vera Wang
Caption	Wang at the 2013 Time 100 gala
Birth name	Vera Ellen Wang
Birth date	27 June 1949
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Education	The Chapin School, Sarah Lawrence College
Occupation	Fashion designer
Spouse	Arthur Becker, 1989, 2012
Partner	Evan Lysacek (2012–present)
Years active	1970–present
Label	Vera Wang
Website	https://www.verawang.com/

Vera Wang is an American fashion designer renowned for her sophisticated bridal gowns and evening wear, which have become iconic in the global fashion industry. Born in New York City to affluent Chinese immigrant parents, she initially pursued a career in figure skating and journalism before revolutionizing the wedding dress market. Her eponymous brand, established in 1990, has expanded into a comprehensive luxury lifestyle empire encompassing fragrance, home goods, and ready-to-wear collections, earning her a place among the most influential designers of her generation.

Early life and education

Vera Ellen Wang was born on June 27, 1949, in Manhattan to Cheng Ching Wang and Florence Wu, who had fled China following the Chinese Communist Revolution. Her father was a successful businessman who founded the Union Medical Center in Taiwan, and her mother worked as a translator for the United Nations. Wang attended the prestigious Chapin School before enrolling at the Sorbonne in Paris, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for French fashion and art. She later graduated with a degree in art history from Sarah Lawrence College, having also trained as a competitive figure skater with coaches like Sonja Henie and Carlo Fassi, though she did not qualify for the U.S. Olympic team.

Career in fashion

After her athletic aspirations concluded, Wang began her fashion career in 1971 as an assistant to Frances Patiky Stein at *Vogue*, becoming one of the magazine's youngest fashion editors within a year. She spent 16 years at Condé Nast Publications, working closely with renowned photographers like Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon and developing an expert eye for style and editorial presentation. In 1987, she left *Vogue* to join Ralph Lauren as a design director for accessories, where she honed her skills in branding and luxury design before launching her own label.

Bridal and evening wear

Wang opened her flagship bridal boutique in 1990 at the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue, introducing a new standard of modernity and luxury to wedding fashion with her minimalist silk gowns and intricate lace detailing. Her designs gained widespread celebrity endorsement when Sharon Stone wore a lavender Wang gown to the 1998 Academy Awards, and later when Michelle Obama chose her creations for inaugural events. The brand's evening wear and red carpet presence is further solidified by regular appearances at major events like the Met Gala and the Golden Globe Awards, with clients including Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, and Ariana Grande.

Other ventures and brand

The Vera Wang brand has diversified significantly under licensing agreements with major corporations like Kohl's for the Simply Vera line and Zales for bridal jewelry. She has launched successful fragrance lines in partnership with Coty, developed home collections of china and crystal with Wedgwood, and authored books on wedding style. In 2002, she expanded into luxury goods with the opening of her Beverly Hills boutique and later introduced eyewear and stationery lines, creating a comprehensive global lifestyle brand.

Personal life

Wang married Arthur Becker, a former Merrill Lynch banker and technology executive, in 1989; the ceremony was held at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. They have two adopted daughters, Cecilia and Josephine, and divorced amicably in 2012. Following her divorce, Wang began a relationship with Evan Lysacek, the 2010 Olympic figure skating champion who is 36 years her junior. She maintains residences in Manhattan, Southampton, and Los Angeles, and is known for her disciplined work ethic and involvement in philanthropic causes, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Asia Society.

Awards and recognition

Wang's contributions to fashion have been honored with numerous accolades, including the CFDA's Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2005 and the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. She was named to the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people in 2004 and 2005 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019. Her work is held in the permanent collections of institutions like the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution, cementing her legacy in American design.

Category:American fashion designers Category:1949 births Category:Living people