100 Most Influential People in Fashion

Fashion Influential #48: Vera Wang

Vera Wang poses at the KaDeWe as she launches her new perfume 'Princess' on April 24, 2008 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images Europe)

VERA WANG
Born:
June 27, 1949 in New York City
Lines:
Bridal, Ready to Wear, Fragrance, Eyewear, Home Fashion, Accessories, Footwear
Celebrity Fans:
Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Karenna Gore, Sharon Stone, Melania Trump Beginnings.
Having never made it as a figure skater (her childhood goal), Vera Wang worked as a senior fashion editor at Vogue for 16 years before she branched out to do what she really loved: design. She was offered a job by icon Ralph Lauren, where she had the opportunity, for the first time, to design accessories, lingerie and sportswear. After she married her husband, Arthur Becker, Wang decided to start her own line of bridal wear.

Career Highs.
Vera Wang filled a gap in the bridal market that no one else before her had managed to do. While the wealthy had the option of buying a one-time designer dress from brands like Valentino, there was no such opportunity for fashionistas who couldn't afford it. By creating an entire bridal line that was stylish, contemporary and sophisticated (instead of traditional fairytale hokey), Wang found her niche.
I thought of myself not as a bridal designer but a fashion designer who happens to do white, ivory, nude. It’s good because it’s so off the radar. I mean, that I should end up in bridal . . . I might as well have been doing scuba equipment. There are people out there who can’t even cut on the bias. I do know how to make a dress.
- Vera Wang

A Vera Wang wedding gown from her Spring 2007 collection.
Career Lows.
Wang loved designing bridal wear not because of the excitement of the Big Day or the glamour of the evening gown, but for the simplest reason: her obsession with clothes. Her time at Vogue had taught her about the avant-garde, which never had much of a place in bridal. When she was starting out as a designer she begged her father to help her open a store of tops, and she was desperate to design ready-to-wear, but she never made it big with any of that until after she had established her brand with bridal.

Legacy.
Before Vera Wang, bridal was void of sophistication. It was poufy sleeves, awkward hemlines, and huge skirts and trains. She brought the elegance of an evening gown to the Big Day. Since Vera, many other comparable bridal lines (such as Lazaro and Amy Michelson) have popped up, offering well-cut, simple collections at affordable prices.

Models on the runway at the Vera Wang Spring 2009 fashion show.
Get the Look.
Wang's dresses are modern, elegant, and very conscious of the wearer's figure. Many of her designs tend to be very simple, but they have some interesting details that make them unique. Go with a basic that has some kind of accent, such as a colored sash, an open back, or a dramatic skirt. Keep in mind, though, that Vera herself has said that she is "not a dress person," so for her, separates and ready-to-wear reign. Her casual lines feature contemporary graphics, cool accessories, and effortlessly chic layers. - Olivia