Vera Wang

Wang married investor Arthur P. Becker in 1989. They separated in 2012 and have two adopted daughters, Cecilia Becker and Josephine Becker.

Wang has described work as central to maintaining her mental and physical engagement. She has also continued to enjoy figure skating, an activity that shaped her early ambitions and later became part of her professional life.

Wang began figure skating at age eight and competed in pairs with James Stuart. The pair entered the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships but did not qualify for the Olympic team. She later redirected her ambitions toward fashion while retaining a strong connection to skating through costume design.

Wang attended the Chapin School, studied at the University of Paris and spent a semester at the Sorbonne before completing a degree in art history at Sarah Lawrence College in 1971. Her mother, Florence Wu, worked as a United Nations translator, while her father, Cheng Ching Wang, was a successful businessman who provided early backing for her bridal business.

After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, Wang joined Vogue in 1971. She rose quickly, becoming a senior fashion editor at age 23 and remaining at the magazine for 16 or 17 years. In 1987, she left Vogue to become an accessories design director at Ralph Lauren.

Unable to find a wedding dress that matched her preferences, Wang designed her own gown for her 1989 wedding. The following year she opened the Vera Wang Bridal House at the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue in New York City. The boutique initially carried gowns by designers including Guy Laroche, Arnold Scaasi, Carolina Herrera and Christian Dior before Wang introduced her own streamlined bridal collection.

Her first client was Ethel Kennedy, whose son Max was getting married. Wang later broadened the business to include bridesmaids' dresses, couture evening gowns and ready-to-wear fashion.

Wang gained broad attention when Nancy Kerrigan wore one of her designs at the 1994 Winter Olympics. She subsequently created costumes for skaters including Michelle Kwan, Evan Lysacek and Nathan Chen. Her contribution to figure skating earned her induction into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009.

Her wedding and evening gowns have been worn by public figures including Chelsea Clinton, Alicia Keys, Victoria Beckham, Mariah Carey, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Hilary Duff, Khloé Kardashian and Kim Kardashian. Michelle Obama also wore Wang's evening wear, while her designs appeared in television programs including Ugly Betty, Sex and the City, Gossip Girl and The West Wing.

Wang presented her first ready-to-wear collection in 2000 and published Vera Wang on Weddings in 2001. The brand later expanded into fragrances, jewelry, eyewear, shoes, menswear and home products. Her partnerships included Simply Vera with Kohl's, engagement and wedding jewelry with Zales, tuxedos with Men's Wearhouse and bridal collections with David's Bridal.

She received the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2005 and the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. In 2023, she received the Board of Directors' Tribute at the CFDA Fashion Awards for her impact on bridal fashion. In 2024, WHP Global acquired the intellectual property of the Vera Wang brand, with Wang continuing as founder and chief creative officer.