Vera Wang – Innovative bridal fashion, romantic fragrances & co – en vogue at the age of 71!

Vera Wang – a well-known high-fashion name in the world of brides, fragrances and wedding cakes. The name Wang stands for the perfect symbiosis of innovative rebellion and timeless elegance – apparent opposites that she skillfully combines with every collection. Since the 1990s, she has been breaking all fashion taboos in bridal fashion, constantly setting new trends with black chiffon and pearly white tulle. All information about the success story of the 71-year-old fashion icon and her biggest collaborations we have summarized here for you.

Vera Wang – Dazzling career of an ageless fashion icon

Vera Wang’s career is unique. It is characterized by hard work, assertiveness and her idea to revolutionize the world of weddings and bridal fashion. Compared to other famous designers, Wang’s international breakthrough was a long time coming:

A Chinese woman from Manhattan

The daughter of wealthy Chinese immigrants, Vera Wang was born in New York City on June 27, 1949. She spent most of her childhood on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where she attended both the elite Chapin School and Sarah Lawrance College. Here, after a failed career as a professional figure skater, she enrolled in art history.

• 1949: Wang is born to a Chinese couple in New York City.
• She went to Chaplin, an Ivy League school, and Sarah Lawrence College…
• Originally, Wang aspired to a career as a figure skater

From Vogue to Ralph Lauren

Her college degree was followed by a career as senior fashion editor of one of the most prestigious fashion magazines of the modern era: Vogue. After 15 years as a fashion journalist, she left the magazine to take a job as design director at none other than Ralph Lauren instead.

• After college, she worked for Vogue…
• After 15 years working as a design director at Ralph Lauren…

A businesswoman becomes a designer

After a short time, however, Wang, then 41, decided to change careers again and opened her first bridal boutique of her own in the upscale Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue in New York City. A year earlier, she had married her longtime boyfriend, Arthur Becker, and found that the number of bridal fashions was simply too limited. To save other women from their own bridal dilemma, Wang now offered couture gowns from a wide variety of designers – from Guy Laroche to Christian Dior – in her boutique.

Over the years, not only did her celebrity clientele grow, but so did her passion as a fashion designer, and so a few years later Wang released her own first bridal collection. Characteristic here: Streamlined and sophisticated wedding dresses for every type of woman.

• 1990: Wang marries and opens her first own bridal boutique
• She sells couture dresses by Guy Laroche and Christian Dior, among others.
• Finally she designs her first own collection

Comet-like rise

In 1994 – four years after opening her boutique – Wang first enjoyed international attention when she designed a hand-beaded ensemble for figure skater Nancy Kerrigan for the Olympic Games. Her first collection of elegant eveningwear followed shortly after. The name Vera Wang was no longer an unknown quantity and from then on graced the covers of a wide variety of fashion magazines worldwide. Still the focus: her love for wedding dresses.

• 1994: Wang designs the outfit for figure skater Nancy Kerrigan
• The first collection of elegant evening wear follows
• The Wangs name is now established in haute couture

Established icon of fashion and pop culture

In 2002, Wang also conquered the world of perfumery and launched her first fragrance. Since then, she has expanded her business to design lingerie, jewelry, household products and even desserts. In 2006, she collaborated with department store chain Kohl’s to release an affordable collection of everyday clothing called Simply Vera, which has remained popular to this day.

Wang is also a constant presence on the red carpet. Her designs have graced the bodies of Hollywood’s creme-de-la-creme for years. Her dresses, which always combine modernity and tradition almost synoptically, are mainly worn to film premieres and award ceremonies. Her main clients are actresses such as Halley Berry, Charlize Theron and Meg Ryan.

• 2002: Wang’s first perfume appears
• 2006: The Simply Vera collection is born
• Today Wang is considered one of the greatest fashion icons of our time

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Interview with the New York Times – Video

Vera Wang on starting her career, the pressures of the fashion industry, and her love for her job. Check out her interview with the New York Times here.

Subversive wedding dresses, sweet fragrances and sparkling rings

Must haves from the Wangs: While Vera Wang is known for her bridal wear, she’s also designed rings, fragrances, lingerie and eveningwear since her international breakthrough. Check out the highlights here.

Wedding dresses of the extra class

When you think of Vera Wang, you think of one thing above all: wedding dresses. She is still a famous designer in her field and impresses wedding couples worldwide with every collection. Her customers are always delighted with dresses painstakingly created with the finest fabrics in the world and adorned with high-quality details such as bows and pearls.

What makes Wang’s clothes special

Innovative, elegant and yet timeless: Wang knows the needs of her customers and manages to revolutionize the world of bridal fashion every time. Her dresses are timeless, sophisticated and yet simple, sometimes traditional in white and sometimes rebellious in red. Wang also doesn’t shy away from dark colors like grey or black. What was once considered unsuitable for the altar, she makes even more suitable for the altar. Her designs are sometimes minimalist with straight cuts and a touch of tulle and sometimes richly embellished with embroidery and plunging necklines. Beauty, innovation and elegance are always at the forefront here.

So the fashion icon is not afraid of unconventional methods when it comes to realizing her visions. The most famous example: to break the status quo of the pearl wedding dress, her design team dunked each dress in a bathtub full of tea for a year. The result? Another critically acclaimed collection from the house of Wangs.

Bridal Collection – A fairytale enchantment

Vera Wang Spring Summer – Of course we don’t want to deprive you of her latest bridal collection. And what reflects the spring and its well-known spring feelings better than flowers? This year, flowers were the inspiration for Vera Wang’s new designs. Handmade flower appliqués made of various materials adorn the sleeves, petticoats and corsages. Tulle is also increasingly used here to achieve an almost flower-like illusion. The dresses are a little reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. They are romantic and enchanting. Slightly dreamy, yet sophisticated and elegant. Wang’s goal here is not just to captivate the wearers of the dresses and their wedding guests. She is primarily concerned with individuality and the expression of different personalities, which is why the dresses look different from every angle, as Wang explains in an interview with the American women’s magazine Harpers Bazaar.

“No matter where you are – front, back, side – the dress contrasts in texture, tonality and proportion. It’s not simple, but this collection still feels effortless.” – V. Wang

See for yourself here in the video of the magic of Wang:

The price of haute couture

Starting at 2,000 US dollars: Those who decide to tie the knot in a masterpiece from the house of Wang are not only opting for timeless haute couture, but also for its proud price: most of Vera Wang’s dresses cost between 2,000 and 6,000 US dollars. They are sold in Wang’s wedding dress boutique on Madison Avenue, as well as in the fashion houses Barney’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Dresses are also available online. If you’re happy with a second hand wedding dress, you can also find them on ebay and Amazon.

Extravagant fragrances

From lotus blossom to champagne: Since 2002, the name Vera Wang has stood not only for elegant wedding dresses and evening wear, but also for extravagant fragrances. Her first signature fragrance for women was launched in 2002 and immediately enjoyed great popularity. Wang’s love of weddings is reflected in most of her creations, which have inspired many a famous flâneur. Currently, more than 29 fragrances are credited to the fashion icon – the top three most popular Wang fragrance creations: Princess, Be Jeweled and Lovestruck – we have summarized them for you here.

Princess: Homage to the modern princess

The bestseller of fragrances from the house of Wangs more than lives up to its name. Princess by Vera Wang was launched in 2006 and has been a bestseller ever since. The oriental-floral fragrance was created by Ilias Ermenidis and Harry Fremont and is dedicated to all princesses of the modern era. The royal menage of guava and tiare flower is accompanied by dark chocolate and sweetened by a hint of vanilla. Finally, all this is packaged in an equally royal heart flacon with a crown as a lid.

• Top notes: Lady-Apple, Water Lily
• Heart notes: tiare flower, pink guava
• Base notes: chiffon vanilla, sugar, dark chocolate

Be Jeweled: Fragrance composition as elegant as jewels

Vera Wang’s fragrance Be Jeweled, a perfume created by flâneur Yann Vasnier in 2013, is similarly popular. Remaining true to her romantic-sweet touch, Wang combines the scent of fruity pomegranate and flirtatious passion fruit with warm sandalwood and pink crystal sugar. The fragrance composition is spirited and playful at the same time, giving its wearer a touch of young elegance and lust for life. The title of the perfume is due to its impressive flare, which is similar to the personality of the wearer herself, a diamond.

• Top notes: pomegranate, red currant, champagne
• Heart notes: passion fruit, honeysuckle, pink peony
• Base notes: pink crystal sugar, musk, Australian sandalwood

Lovestruck: The sweet smell of young love

Urban and seductive at the same time, the fragrance by Stephen Nelsen and Doreen Doreen Bollhofer has been turning heads since 2011. The fragrance is floral; composed of fruity tropical scents with a hint of musky romance. The aroma is protected in a pink crystal bottle adorned with a romantic bow. Random Fact: The face of the campaign here was our Gossip Girl favorite Leightoon Meester.

• Top notes: mandarin, pink guava
• Heart notes: Lotus, Tuberose
• Base notes: wood, musk

Romantic engagement rings from the house of Wangs

Glittering diamonds and 14-carat white gold: although brides all over the world have been walking down the aisle in Wang’s fabulous creations for years, for a long time one of the most important symbols of the most beautiful promise in the world remained untouched by Wang’s magic: The engagement ring. Unique, timeless, innovative and iconic at the same time, Wang has now released two collections and naturally we at CM Models don’t want to deprive you of them.

“Creating a line of beautiful diamond engagement rings and bridal jewelry is a natural extension of my passion for bridal fashion design” – V. Wang

The Love Collection: sapphires as a sign of eternal love

In 2012 Vera Wang launched her first jewelry collection, which has enjoyed worldwide popularity to this day. In the old Vera Wang manner, this is not just any bracelets or necklaces, no – as always, these works of art from the house of Wang make the hearts of all brides and those who want to be, beat faster. The collection, originally released under the name “Vera Wang LOVE” includes a variety of engagement and wedding rings for the modern couple. Each piece of jewelry comes with a certificate of authenticity and features Wang’s exclusive engraving on the inside. Just like her fabulous dresses and romantic fragrances, her rings highlight the timeless elegance of the wearer.

Her designs are remarkable – for example, most of her artworks are made in 14-carat white gold, although the innovative designer sometimes caters to the needs of risk-taking brides with unconventional two-tone gold. The bands are always set with diamonds. The center of attention: a traditionally set diamond in a wide variety of cuts and shapes in the middle of the ring. Blue sapphire as a symbol of fidelity and eternal love is also often used by Wang – an innovative style break with a lot of meaning for the modern couple of the modern era.

The Wish collection: playful rose-gold

After the global success of her first jewelry collection, it was only a matter of time before Wang decided to launch another ensemble of sparkling diamonds. Thus, she launched another collection of bridal jewelry in 2019. Compared to “Vera Wang LOVE,” this one is only available for purchase at American jeweler Jared and is titled “Vera Wang WISH.” The majority of the rings are still made of 14 carat white gold, although this time Wang also opted more often for romantic rose gold. Compared to the previous collection, the bands of the rings are more playful and diverse this time. In addition to the typical cuts and shapes, there are also more unconventional diamond cuts in the form of hearts and flowers.

Wang’s biggest collaborations – everyday wear and tuxedos

Over the decades, Wang has established herself not only as an innovative bridal designer, but also as a popular collaborator. Thus, her creative ideas also found favor in the world of sweets and tuxedos.

For the small purse

Kohl’s x Vera Wang: The American clothing chain Kohl’s and Vera Wang have been working together for over ten years. Together they offer fashion that makes luxury accessible and at the same time brings elegance and style into everyday life. Starting with a few simple clothes for the small purse, the collection now also includes jewellery, shoes, handbags and accessories.

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For dessert fanatics

Ladurée x Vera Wang: After clothing, jewellery and home textiles, 2018 finally saw the innovator Vera Wang enter the world of vanilla sugar: in collaboration with the French patisserie Ladurée, the first desserts from the house of Wangs were created. Here, too, she remained true to her unique aesthetic. Her macaroons and cakes are decorated with glittering sugar flowers and pink cascading bows. As always, style and convention breaks are writ large here. So brides can enjoy both white and black wedding cakes, and dessert fanatics will also get their money’s worth with macaroons in the unconventional flavours of coconut cream and mango.

For the fashion conscious groom

Men’s Warehouse x Vera Wang: In times of feminism and equality, the male counterpart to the wedding dress should not be forgotten. And so, in 2014, grooms could also enjoy Wang’s designs for the first time. Since then, her BLACK by Vera Wang tuxedo line has been available exclusively from American tuxedo outfitter Men’s Wearhouse and offers a fashionable alternative to the otherwise classically cut tuxedos of the modern era.

Check out Wang’s commercial here:

Catwalk Highlights – Dark Lingerie and Lots of Tulle

The innovative spirit of Vera Wang can also be found in her ready to wear collections. Here we have compiled some highlights of her latest collections for you.

Royal ruffles with a touch of edgyness

Earlier this year, Vera Wang presented her latest fall/winter collection at the James B. Duke House in Manhattan. The young models strutted up and down the pompous foyer on large platform heels on a chartreuse carpet laid out by Wang herself. Their collection this time consisted mainly of wicked boudoir pieces, corsets and pleated tulle. Asymmetrical ruffled shirts can also be found in increasing numbers. Of course always in the style of Vera Wang: romantic with a bit of rebellion.

Romantic fragility and high heels

After a two-year hiatus, the bridal fashion icon made a comeback with daring lingerie elements, sheer bra tops and loose chainmail. Loose and unlaced, tops and dresses were layered to dreamily wrap the models’ tentative silhouettes. Romantic. Tentative. Almost fragile, the models floated through the darkness on high heels.

More about Vera Wang

The history of Wang’s company is colorful, loud and diverse. Here we have once again answered the most interesting questions about Vera Wang and her fashion empire.

Q&A: The most frequently asked questions

When was Vera Wang born? What is she known for and who has she dressed in the past?

How old is Vera Wang?

Vera Wang was born in New York City on June 27, 1949.

What is the name Wangs known for?

Vera Wang has specialized in exquisite and innovative bridal fashion since 1990. Also known is her annual ready to wear collection, evening gowns and perfumes. Wang’s eyewear, jewelry and tuxedos are also well known.

Which famous brides has Vera Wang already dressed?

Wang’s most famous clients include Kaley Cuoco, Kim Kardashian, Chelsea Clinton, Alicia Keys, Ivanka Trump, Victoria Beckham and Mariah Carey.

Where is Vera Wang’s bridal boutique located?

Wangs Bridal Boutique has been located in the upscale Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue in New York City since 1990.

Where can I buy Vera Wang clothes and perfumes?

Most of her clothes are available for purchase on her official website. Her sunglasses are available in the online shop of the operator farfetch, her perfumes and Simply Vera collection at the American department store chain Kohl’ s and her tuxedo collection for men at Men’s Warehouse. If you are interested in the unique jewelry from Wangs, you will find it at Jared.