Vera Wang, the queen of red-carpet dressing, didn’t go into the fashion business with stars in her eyes . She knew about its unglamorous side, the hard work and, especially, the risks. And there were plenty of doubts along the way.
But every time one person—and, she says, it really just takes one—understands what she’s trying to express with a certain design, she’s reminded of the reason why she became involved in fashion, and why she’s still in it: there’s an indefinable payoff that comes when she’s helped a woman look and feel her best.
Wang, 63, was honored for lifetime achievement by the Council of Fashion Designers of America on June, 2013 at its prestigious awards show, which is often called “the Oscars of fashion.”
“To all the women and men I have dressed, thank you for your trust,” she said after accepting the award from her mentor and former employer Ralph Lauren.
There’s rarely a Hollywood event or an A-list wedding where Wang’s name doesn’t come up. Her hit designs include the lavender skirt actress Sharon Stone paired with a Gap shirt at the Oscars in 1998 and Chelsea Clinton’s crystal-waistband wedding gown in 2010.
Wang also has two lower-priced lines . She’s developed a fragrance business and home-goods collection. And she has a branded flower bouquet business.
Wang wasn’t always sure this would be her path. She studied art history at Sarah Lawrence College and was a competitive figure skater in contention for a spot on the 1968 U.S. Olympic team. Her family wasn’t initially supportive of fashion as a career path, and although they had some financial means, they didn’t back her at first. So she went to work as an editor at Vogue, and then at Ralph Lauren, before launching her company in 1990 as a bridal brand. She earned fame and respect through hard work.
Her mentor described Wang as “a unique young woman filled with a rare passion for fashion.” “In all the years since, I have watched her drive, dedication and talent shape an entire world inspired by her own life—first as a bride, then as a wife and mother, but always as a strong and beautiful woman,” Lauren said.
王薇薇是“婚纱女王”，但她并不是盲目地一头钻进时尚界的。她知道其乏味和辛劳的一面，尤其是所冒的风险。这条路上有着太多的疑问和不确定。
然而，她说，每当有一个人——真的只需一个人——能懂得她的设计所要表达的内涵时，她就能想起为什么自己会涉足并且仍然坚守在时尚界：当她让一位女性看起来并感受到自身的美丽时，她能得到一种莫名的回报和满足。
2013年6月，在著名的美国时装设计师协会颁奖晚会上，63岁的王薇薇被授予终身成就奖，这个颁奖晚会被誉为是“时尚界的奥斯卡”。
“所有穿过我设计的服装的女士们和先生们，感谢你们的信任”，王薇薇从她的导师、以前的老板拉夫•劳伦那里接过奖杯后说道。
很少有好莱坞盛会或名人婚礼上没有王薇薇的名字。她著名的设计包括1998年女演员莎朗•斯通在奥斯卡颁奖典礼上穿的Gap衬衫搭配的淡紫色裙子，2010年切尔西•克林顿搭配水晶腰带的婚纱礼服。
王薇薇也拥有两个相对价格低廉的产业。她还开发了香水及家居系列。此外，她还有一个品牌花店生意。
王薇薇并非一开始就对自己的这条路确信无疑。她曾在莎拉劳伦斯学院学习艺术史，并且曾是1968年美国奥运代表队中一个颇有竞争力的花样滑冰运动员。她的家人起初并不支持她把时尚作为自己的职业，虽然他们有一些资金，但他们起初并没有支持她的事业。于是，她去时尚杂志《Vogue》做了一名编辑，后来去拉尔夫•劳伦那里工作。1990年，她以婚纱品牌创立了自己的公司，并通过努力苦干最终赢得了名誉和尊重。
她的导师这样描述王薇薇，她是“一个独特的、对时尚充满罕见激情的年轻女子。”劳伦说：“这些年来，我看着她的干劲、奉献和才能改变了全世界，这些灵感都来自于她自己的生活，起初是作为新娘，然后是作为妻子、母亲，她始终是一位坚强美丽的女性。”
