When you think of wedding gowns, one designer’s name pretty much always comes to mind: Vera Wang. Wang is synonymous with the wedding business, but her original career plan was very different.
Her Olympic Dreams
Wang was the daughter of Chinese immigrants who fled the Communist revolution in China in 1947. At age eight, she started figure skating. She even participated in the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Figure Skating Championships. Wang was also featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd part of the same year.
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Wang tried something new, but she was not selected for the Olympic team. Wang studied at the University of Paris—also referred to as the Sorbonne—and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in art history.
Wang Was the Youngest Ever ‘Vogue’Editor
Wang, who was 21 at the time, was hired immediately after graduating to become an editor. VogueWang was the youngest editor that the magazine had ever hired. Wang was always keen to pursue a career as a fashion designer. However, they decided not to apply for fashion schoolsAfter realizing that her father couldn’t afford further education, she moved to New York.
After 17 years at the magazine, she left for Ralph Lauren where she was a designer director for accessories for 2 years. Arthur Becker was her longtime boyfriend. She married her in 1989. Wang began to get frustrated with the available options and decided to create her own.
Start Your Own Bridal Shop at 40
Wang’s experience with designing her own wedding dress led to her realize her passion for designing wedding gowns, and at age 40, she opened her own bridal boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City. Vera Wang Bridal House originally offered couture wedding dresses from Christian Dior and Carolina Herrera. Wang continued to refine her craft as a designer. In 1994, Wang launched her own Vera Wang label.
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Wang has designed wedding gowns for many celebrities, including Victoria Beckham, Chelsea Clinton and Mariah Carey. Her evening wear collection includes designs worn by Scarlett Johansson and Michelle Obama.
Wang is a big name in fashion, especially when you consider wedding dresses. Her unique path to the top of the industry goes to show that it’s never too late to pursue your passion!