Meet Vera Wang, who failed to make the Olympic team, left Vogue; here's how she turned career setbacks into a wedding-dress business at 40

Vera Wang grew up in New York City and trained as a competitive figure skater during her teenage years. She competed at the 1968 US Figure Skating Championship but did not make the US Olympic team for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. After her skating ambitions ended, she moved towards fashion journalism.

Wang joined Vogue in 1971 and became one of the magazine's youngest fashion editors at the age of 23. She spent around 16 years at the magazine and rose through its editorial ranks. However, she did not become editor-in-chief. Anna Wintour was appointed to the position in 1988. Wang left Vogue in 1987, ending a long editorial career and opening the door to a different professional direction.

Move to Ralph Lauren

After leaving Vogue, Wang joined the fashion company Ralph Lauren. The job helped her understand how clothing collections, brand identity and commercial decisions work together.


Her experience at both Vogue and Ralph Lauren gave her an understanding of fashion from editorial and business perspectives.

ALSO READ: Meet John Furner, who joined Walmart as a part-time garden-centre associate; now he leads the retail giant with 2.1 million employees; know his education and career journey

How her wedding inspired a business at 40

Wang married investor Arthur Becker in 1989. While preparing for her wedding, she struggled to find a gown that matched her taste. Her father encouraged her to consider turning the gap she identified into a business opportunity.

In 1990, at the age of 40, Wang opened her first bridal boutique at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. The boutique initially stocked gowns by established designers as well as Wang's own designs.

She then developed her own bridal collections. Her business grew from a single boutique into a recognised name in luxury bridal fashion.

ALSO READ: In 2015, two sisters co-founded Dudley Stephens; one worked with Gucci, Calvin Klein, other managed American Express VIP experiences; how their brand crossed $45 million in sales

The business growth

Wang's designs gained wider recognition through celebrity clients and high-profile occasions. She designed figure skater Nancy Kerrigan's costumes for the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics.

She later designed wedding dresses for celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Mariah Carey and Chelsea Clinton.

In 2000, she expanded into ready-to-wear, followed by fragrance, jewellery, eyewear and home products. She began the bridal business at 40 and then turned it all into a wider fashion label, with products and licensing partnerships extending beyond wedding gowns.