Vera Wang is one of the most well known wedding gown designers out there. She has also designed other fashion including gowns for Michelle Obama and figure skating costumes for American Olympian Nancy Kerrigan. But when someone mentions the name “Vera Wang” most of us picture a beautiful flowing white gown, fit for a queen.

Wang’s Influences

Vera Ellen Wang is a native of New York City. Her parents were first generation Chinese immigrants. As a child, Wang was a Figure Skater. She competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. When she failed to make the U.S. Olympic team, Wang turned her focus to fashion design. She attended the University of Paris, and earned her art history degree from Sarah Lawrence College. By 1970, she was a senior fashion editor for Vouge Magazine.

The History of Wang’s Wedding Collection

In 1990 Vera Wang introduced her first bridal collection. In the same year she opened her first Bridal Salon on Madison Avenue in New York City. By 1997 The first “Vera Wang Bride: Barbie Doll” was released. By 1999, Vera Wang was designing for celebrities, most notably at the time, Victoria Beckham. By 2001, Wang published her first book entitled: “Vera Wang on Weddings”, and the very next year, launched her “Ready-To-Wear” collection. In 2005 she won the CFDA Award for Women’s Wear Designer of the Year.

By 2008, her second Barbie Doll debuted, entitled “The Romanticist Barbie, featuring a extravagant mermaid style gown. Other famous women who have sported Vera Wang bridal gowns include Ivanka Trump, Alyssa Milano, Chelsea Clinton, Alicia Keys, Lily Aldridge, and many others. She has since opened two more shops, and debut another Designer Barbie Doll. In 2011 She launched “White By Vera Wang” with David’s Bridal, which allows the general public access to her extraordinary designs.

Wang’s other Design Adventures

Wang has also expanded into other areas of design including perfumes, housewares, men’s rental tuxedos, cosmetics, and of course other women’s’ apparel. She designs special occasion gowns for many celebrities and continues to expand her empire. She has even created “Vera Wang Love” a collection of engagement rings and wedding bands sold exclusively at Zales Jewelers.

Wang’s Inspiration

Vera Wang has been categorized as one of the most successful wedding gown designers of our time. Her name is recognized by young women and girls around the world. As an icon in the design world, she sets a high standard for the fashion industry as a whole. Her designs are inspired by the glamour of old Hollywood. She describes her design style as “Romantic, Classic, and Whimsical fashion.” In her designs, Wang uses an array of specialty fabrics and laces composed in unique yet elegant designs. She also has been known to use soft color and embellishments to create an ethereal, feminine look. The bride that has always dreamed of wearing a “Vera Wang Gown” has the tastes of royalty, but with her ever expanding empire, today those gowns are more within her reach than ever.