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Her name is synonymous with understated bridal elegance.
Indeed, Vera Wang is probably the most influential wedding dress designer in the world today, well-known for revolutionizing bridal fashion with her ultra-sleek, modern style.
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 Read the special interview with Vera Wang |
| View Vera Wang's photos from the show |
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A native New Yorker, Wang was educated at Sarah Lawrence College and the Sorbonne. She has spent more than 25 years in the fashion industry, first as one of the youngest-ever editors at Vogue magazine, later as a design director for Ralph Lauren accessories. She launched her own company in 1990 and opened a salon to showcase her collection in the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue, where her flagship store remains to this day. Her bridal gowns were instantly acclaimed for their luxurious fabrics, spare lines and modern style.
Wang applied that same pared-down aesthetic to a collection of ultra chic and sophisticated eveningwear that found favour with a host of celebrities, including Sharon Stone, Holly Hunter, Meg Ryan and Helen Hunt, to name a few. One of her more memorable dresses was Jane Fonda’s Oscar night “comeback” gown in duchess satin.
Wang gowns are truly in the “luxury” category but in the fall of 2001, the designer launched a lower priced line of wedding gowns so that understated elegance could be accessible to more brides. And, recently, she opened a store just for bridesmaids.
Wang has been busy expanding her empire and applying her modern approach to classic, elegant style to a number of different product lines. In the fall of 2001 she published Vera Wang on Weddings (HarperCollins). It’s a comprehensive “how to” guide that touches on 70 plus topics including, of course, how to choose a dress. In March 2002 came an evening and bridal footwear collection. This was soon followed by a signature fragrance collection that includes bath and body products and a luxury eyewear collection. Wang’s accessories – handbags, wraps, scarves and shawls – are for the moment offered exclusively at her Madison Ave. store but there are plans for wider distribution in the next year or two.
Wang has applied her minimalist and modern approach to the home, too. This fall she launched Vera Wang China, Crystal Stemware and Crystal Giftware in collaboration with licensee Wedgwood USA. It’s a complete collection of dinnerware, stemware, barware and giftware, all made in Germany.
And as for the scoop on bridal wear for next year: The primary silhouette is slim and body conscious. Watch, too, for delicate embellishments and the occasional touch of whimsy such as little bows and pleated collars. And always modern, elegant, sleek and sophisticated, just like everything Vera Wang does.
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