Vera Wang A PASSION FOR BRIDAL AND LIFESTYLE DESIGN

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1 Vera Wang A PASSION FOR BRIDAL AND LIFESTYLE DESIGN By Diane Dakers Crabtree Publishing Company

2 Crabtree Publishing Company Author: Diane Dakers Publishing plan research and development: Sean Charlebois, Reagan Miller Crabtree Publishing Company Editors: Mark Sachner, Lynn Peppas Proofreader: Wendy Scavuzzo Indexer: Wendy Scavuzzo Editorial director: Kathy Middleton Photo researcher: Ruth Owen Designer: Alix Wood Production coordinator: Margaret Amy Salter Production: Kim Richardson Prepress technician: Margaret Amy Salter Written, developed, and produced by Water Buffalo Books Publisher s note: All quotations in this book come from original sources and contain the spelling and grammatical inconsistencies of the original text. The use of such constructions is for the sake of preserving the historical and literary accuracy of the sources. Photographs and reproductions: Alamy: page 37 (right) Associated Press: page 60 Flickr (Creative Commons): page 65 (all); page 96 Getty Images: Phillip Massey: page 7; Loomis Dean: page 17; Clay Patrick McBride: page 23; Frazer Harrison: page 31; Scott Wintrow: page 39; Scott Gries: page 49; Rabbani and Solimene: page 57; Pascal Rondeau: page 59 Evan Agostini: page 63; RJ Capak: page 69; Lawrence Lucier: page 73 Business Wire: page 81; Scott Garfield: page 85 Public domain: page 37 (left); page 43 Shutterstock: front cover (background); page 1; page 4 (background); page 5; page 9; page 10; page 13; page 15; page 18; page 19; page 20; page 21 (right); page 22; page 26; page 27; page 29; page 33; page 38; page 42; page 45; page 47; page 50; page 51 (all); page 52; page 53; page 54; page 55; page 62; page 66; page 67; page 68 (all); page 71; page 74; page 76; page 82; page 83; page 84; page 86; page 87 (all); page 89; page 90; page 94; page 95 (all); page 97 (all); page 98; page 99; page 101; page 102 (all); page 103 (all) Wikipedia (public domain): front cover (main); page 4 (inset); page 21; page 35; page 91 Cover: Vera Wang is a fashion designer renowned for putting a modern spin on classic style. Famous as a wedding-gown designer to the stars, she has changed the entire wedding experience, from hairstyles and makeup to invitations, and even the ceremony itself. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Dakers, Diane Vera Wang : a passion for bridal and lifestyle design / Diane Dakers. (Crabtree groundbreaker biographies) Includes index. Issued also in an electronic format. ISBN (bound).--isbn (pbk.) 1. Wang, Vera--Juvenile literature. 2. Women fashion designers--united States--Biography--Juvenile literature. 3. Fashion designers--united States--Biography--Juvenile literature. 4. Fashion designers--new York (State)--New York-- Biography--Juvenile literature. 5. Wedding costume--united States--Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series: Crabtree groundbreaker biographies TT505.W36D j746.9'2092 C Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dakers, Diane. Vera Wang : a passion for bridal and lifestyle design / Diane Dakers. p. cm. -- (Crabtree groundbreaker biographies) Includes index. ISBN (pbk. : alk. paper) -- ISBN (reinforced library binding : alk. paper) -- ISBN (electronic (PDF)) 1. Wang, Vera--Juvenile literature. 2. Women fashion designers--united States--Biography--Juvenile literature. 3. Fashion designers--united States--Biography--Juvenile literature. 4. Fashion designers--new York (State)--New York--Biography--Juvenile literature. 5. Wedding costume-- United States--Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series. TT505.W36D '2092--dc22 [B] Crabtree Publishing Company Copyright 2011 CRABTREE PUBLISHING COMPANY. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Crabtree Publishing Company. In Canada: We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) for our publishing activities. Published in Canada Crabtree Publishing 616 Welland Ave. St. Catharines, Ontario L2M 5V6 Published in the United States Crabtree Publishing PMB Fifth Avenue, 59th Floor New York, New York Printed in China/082010/FC Published in the United Kingdom Crabtree Publishing Maritime House Basin Road North, Hove BN41 1WR Published in Australia Crabtree Publishing 386 Mt. Alexander Rd. Ascot Vale (Melbourne) VIC 3032

3 Contents Chapter 1 Designing Woman...4 Chapter 2 Little Rich Girl...15 Chapter 3 Vera In and Out of Vogue...29 Chapter 4 Finally, a Designer...47 Chapter 5 Vera Wang in the 21st Century...71 Chapter 6 New Directions...89 Chronology Glossary Further Information Index About the Author...112

For months, Vera scoured the shops and boutiques of New York City, where she found nothing but frothy, princess-style dresses designed with younger brides in mind.

4 Chapter 1 Designing Woman At age 39, and soon to be married for the first time, Vera Wang was on the hunt for the perfect wedding gown. The year was 1989, a period in fashion history known for its ritzy glamour, exaggerated silhouettes, and fondness for doodads. For months, Vera scoured the shops and boutiques of New York City, where she found nothing but frothy, princess-style dresses designed with younger brides in mind. What she sought was something appropriate for a sophisticated older bride, something exquisite and elegant but simple and modern at the same time. Vera would become the go-to gal for high-end wedding gowns, dressing some of the wealthiest and most famous brides in America. Opposite: Vera Wang has taken the materials used to construct traditional wedding gowns and turned them into innovative creations for fashion-conscious brides. 5

Doing It Herself Having been in the fashion business for more than 15 years but never having designed a dress Vera finally gave up the hunt for a store-bought dream dress and tried her hand at

5 Doing It Herself Having been in the fashion business for more than 15 years but never having designed a dress Vera finally gave up the hunt for a store-bought dream dress and tried her hand at creating her own. She sketched and sketched until she came up with a look that pleased her. Then, with money from her parents, she hired an experienced dressmaker to sew the gown. In June 1989, Vera Wang walked down the aisle wearing the beautifully beaded, sleek gown she d designed, not knowing that this would be the first of thousands of dresses she would create in the coming years, revolutionizing the whole bridal business in the process. Thanks to Vera, simplicity was suddenly elegant; women didn t need to be flashy to be noticed. A Woman of Weddings and Then Some Over the next decade, Vera would become the go-to gal for high-end wedding gowns, dressing some of the wealthiest and most famous brides in America. In 1997, Vera designed a classic gown for Karenna Gore, daughter of then-vice President Al Gore. Actress and former Miss 6

6 A bridal outfit from the Vera Wang 2006 Collection. The collection was launched at Brown Thomas, a store in Dublin, Ireland, specializing in some of the world s most exclusive designer fashions. 7

7 I think I ve been able to make a major artistic contribution to bridal by bringing a fashion sense to it. America Vanessa L. Williams wore Vera Wang for her 1999 wedding, as did Victoria Adams (now Victoria Beckham), better known as Posh Spice of the British girl group the Spice Girls. Vera didn t just design gowns, though. Before long, she would change the entire wedding experience, offering her clients more than just a dress shop. She and her staff offered advice on everything: wedding invitations, flowers, hairstyles, make-up, even the ceremony itself. She recognized that women were busy as she had been while she was planning her own wedding and couldn t create their perfect wedding day alone. Because of Vera Wang, full-service bridal shops and planning services have become the norm for middleand upper-income weddings. Vera Wang Simple and Elegant From weddings, Vera branched out into eveningwear, dressing the likes of then-first Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, actress Sharon Stone, and talk-show diva Oprah Winfrey. Glamorous actresses started wearing Vera Wang on the red carpets at the Emmy Awards, the Academy Awards, and the Grammy Awards, introducing the designer to television-watching American women. Thanks to Vera, simplicity was suddenly elegant; women didn t need to be flashy to be noticed. Her design philosophy was as straightforward as was her clothing: 8

For me, it s not about age it s about comfort; it s about style, she said. It s not about the clothing it s about the way it s worn. There s an informality to the luxury.

8 For me, it s not about age it s about comfort; it s about style, she said. It s not about the clothing it s about the way it s worn. There s an informality to the luxury. With that point of view, Vera Wang changed the way American women dress for the big occasions in their lives. Soon, she would also change the way they decorated their homes, as she started stamping her name on silverware, stationery, linens, bedding, china, and crystal. Within two decades, Vera Wang was a person, a clothing collection, a brand name, and a lifestyle. Women could dress head-to-toe in Vera Wang and decorate their homes, top-to-bottom in Vera Wang. 9

Unsolved! MYSTERIOUS HEALING. Kathryn Walker. based on original text by Brian Innes. Crabtree Publishing Company.

Unsolved! MYSTERIOUS HEALING. Kathryn Walker. based on original text by Brian Innes. Crabtree Publishing Company. Unsolved! MYSTERIOUS HEALING Kathryn Walker based on original text by Brian Innes Crabtree Publishing Company www.crabtreebooks.com Crabtree Publishing Company www.crabtreebooks.com Author: Kathryn Walker