VERA WANG
Name: Vera Wang
Born: June 27, 1949 New York, New York, United States
Vera Wang born June 27, 1949) is an American fashion designer based in New York.
She is known for her wedding gown collection, among other specialties.
Vera Wang was raised in an affluent family and attended The Chapin School as
well as the Sorbonne in Paris. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a
degree in art history. Her mother often took her to fashion shows in Paris. Her
father started and owned a chemical company.
As a girl, Wang trained as a figure skater, and competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure
Skating Championships. She was actually featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces
in the Crowd in the January 8, 1968 issue. When she failed to make the U.S.
Olympic team, she entered the fashion industry.
Wang was a senior fashion editor for Vogue for sixteen years. In 1985, she left
Vogue after being turned down for the editor-in-chief position currently filled
by Anna Wintour and joined Ralph Lauren as a design director for two years. In
1990, she opened her own design salon in the Carlyle Hotel in New York which
featured her trademark bridal gowns. She has designed costumes for figure
skaters, including Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan. Silver medalist Nancy
Kerrigan wore a unique design of Vera's for the 1994 Olympics. Wang also has
made wedding gowns for Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Thalia, Jessica Simpson,
Avril Lavigne, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Garner, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman,
Holly Hunter, Campbell Brown, Jeri Ryan,and Karenna Gore, among others.
Making a cameo appearance in the Ugly Betty episode A Nice Day for a Posh
Wedding, Wang designed and fitted wedding gowns for the fictional character
Wilhelmina Slater whose portrayer, Vanessa L. Williams, wore a Vera Wang
designed wedding gown to her wedding to NBA legend Rick Fox. As maid of honor,
Victoria Beckham who was also playing a cameo role, was also fitted for a gown.
A dress she designed for Buffy the Vampire Slayer appeared in the episode "The
Prom." Sarah Michelle Gellar, the actress who played Buffy, also had Wang design
her actual wedding dress for her marriage to Freddie Prinze, Jr. She also
designed the two-piece uniforms currently worn by the Philadelphia Eagles
cheerleaders.
Wang has expanded her brand name through her fragrance, jewelry, eyeware, shoe
and houseware collections. She also wrote the book Vera Wang on Weddings which
was released by Harper Collins in October, 2001. In June 2005, she won the CFDA
(Council of the Fashion Designers of America) Womenswear Designer of the Year.
On May 27, 2006, Wang was awarded the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Vera Wang appeared as a guest judge in the third season of Project Runway.
In 2002, Vera Wang began to enter the home fashion industry. The Vera Wang China
and Crystal collection has produced three of the top ten best-selling patterns
at bridal registries across the United States after only six months at the
stores.
On August 24, 2006, Kohl's announced that it would carry clothing, accessories,
footwear, and linens designed by Wang.
Wang currently lives in New York City with her husband, Arthur Becker, and their
two daughters, Cecilia, born in 1990, and Josephine, born in 1993, who both
currently attend the Chapin School. Arthur is the CEO of an information
technology services company called Navisite. They have a weekend home in Pound
Ridge, New York, where her brother owns the Pound Ridge Golf Club.
Name: Vera Wang
Born: June 27, 1949 New York, New York, United States
Vera Wang born June 27, 1949) is an American fashion designer based in New York.
She is known for her wedding gown collection, among other specialties.
Vera Wang was raised in an affluent family and attended The Chapin School as
well as the Sorbonne in Paris. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a
degree in art history. Her mother often took her to fashion shows in Paris. Her
father started and owned a chemical company.
As a girl, Wang trained as a figure skater, and competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure
Skating Championships. She was actually featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces
in the Crowd in the January 8, 1968 issue. When she failed to make the U.S.
Olympic team, she entered the fashion industry.
Wang was a senior fashion editor for Vogue for sixteen years. In 1985, she left
Vogue after being turned down for the editor-in-chief position currently filled
by Anna Wintour and joined Ralph Lauren as a design director for two years. In
1990, she opened her own design salon in the Carlyle Hotel in New York which
featured her trademark bridal gowns. She has designed costumes for figure
skaters, including Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan. Silver medalist Nancy
Kerrigan wore a unique design of Vera's for the 1994 Olympics. Wang also has
made wedding gowns for Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Thalia, Jessica Simpson,
Avril Lavigne, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Garner, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman,
Holly Hunter, Campbell Brown, Jeri Ryan,and Karenna Gore, among others.
Making a cameo appearance in the Ugly Betty episode A Nice Day for a Posh
Wedding, Wang designed and fitted wedding gowns for the fictional character
Wilhelmina Slater whose portrayer, Vanessa L. Williams, wore a Vera Wang
designed wedding gown to her wedding to NBA legend Rick Fox. As maid of honor,
Victoria Beckham who was also playing a cameo role, was also fitted for a gown.
A dress she designed for Buffy the Vampire Slayer appeared in the episode "The
Prom." Sarah Michelle Gellar, the actress who played Buffy, also had Wang design
her actual wedding dress for her marriage to Freddie Prinze, Jr. She also
designed the two-piece uniforms currently worn by the Philadelphia Eagles
cheerleaders.
Wang has expanded her brand name through her fragrance, jewelry, eyeware, shoe
and houseware collections. She also wrote the book Vera Wang on Weddings which
was released by Harper Collins in October, 2001. In June 2005, she won the CFDA
(Council of the Fashion Designers of America) Womenswear Designer of the Year.
On May 27, 2006, Wang was awarded the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Vera Wang appeared as a guest judge in the third season of Project Runway.
In 2002, Vera Wang began to enter the home fashion industry. The Vera Wang China
and Crystal collection has produced three of the top ten best-selling patterns
at bridal registries across the United States after only six months at the
stores.
On August 24, 2006, Kohl's announced that it would carry clothing, accessories,
footwear, and linens designed by Wang.
Wang currently lives in New York City with her husband, Arthur Becker, and their
two daughters, Cecilia, born in 1990, and Josephine, born in 1993, who both
currently attend the Chapin School. Arthur is the CEO of an information
technology services company called Navisite. They have a weekend home in Pound
Ridge, New York, where her brother owns the Pound Ridge Golf Club.