Vera Wang

Vera Wang first wanted to go to the Olympics. Born in New York to parents who had come from China, she started figure skating at eight and competed in pairs at the 1968 US championships. She did not make the Olympic team, and turned to fashion instead.

After a degree in art history she joined Vogue, became one of its youngest editors and stayed for more than fifteen years. In 1987 she moved to Ralph Lauren. The idea for her business came from her own wedding in 1989: she could not find a dress she liked, so she sketched one and had it made. In 1990, at 40, she opened a bridal salon in the Carlyle Hotel in New York.

Skating stayed with her. She designed Nancy Kerrigan’s costumes for the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, and later costumes for Michelle Kwan and Nathan Chen. In 2011 she showed a bridal collection in black, nude and caramel, with no ivory at all.

To look at her work, put a classic wedding dress next to one of hers: tulle, organza, Chantilly lace, and sometimes a colour you would not expect. Her evening gowns have been worn on red carpets by Michelle Obama and Viola Davis. In 2024 she sold her brand to WHP Global and stayed on as its chief creative officer.