A Bride Strides in a Vera Wang Bridal

Luxury Women's Apparel: A woman's wedding day is more important to her than the day she was born, and the most important element of any wedding is The Dress. A woman's wedding gown isn't just a dress; it's an expression of who she is as an individual. It is a once-in-a-lifetime dress worn during the biggest event of her life.

No one understands this better than fashion designer Vera Wang. While shopping for her own dress, Vera -- then a design director for Ralph Lauren --grew frustrated at what she felt was a selection of stodgy, uninspired dresses. Determined to bring a sense of fashion to the bridal industry, Vera opened her own bridal salon in New York, featuring elegant yet contemporary gowns crafted from the finest materials. Vera Wang's gowns quickly took the wedding industry by storm, earning her the top name in luxury bridal fashion. For nearly two decades, fashionable brides the world over have donned her gowns, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey. When a celebrity gets engaged, her first call is to her mother; her second is to Vera Wang.

Vera's gowns are famous for being luxurious yet simple, so that the beauty and sensuality of the bride shines brightly on her most special day. A bride can choose a ready-to-wear dress or enlist Vera Wang to custom-design one just for her. And so that the bridesmaids aren't left out of the fun, Vera also offers a line of stylish bridesmaid gowns.

Besides Vera's flagship salon in New York City, Vera Wang wedding gowns can be purchased at fine retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Barney's, and Saks Fifth Avenue, and at independent upscale bridal salons. Brides-to-be can reference the store locator on Vera's Web site for the retailer nearest them.

Biography:

Vera Wang was born into an affluent Chinese-American family, on June 27, 1949. She was introduced to the world of fashion at an early age by attending fashion shows in Paris with her mother. But what really sparked her interest was figure skating. Vera Wang competed at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1968 and after failing to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team she decided to hang up her skates.

Vera Wang started her career in fashion and became a senior fashion editor at Vouge Magazine. After sixteen years, Vera decided to leave the magazine and joined Ralph Lauren as a design director for two years. In 1990, Vera branched off and opened her own design salon, featuring her bridal gowns, in the Carlyle Hotel in New York. Her signature gowns began to receive more and more recognition from fashion gurus and the media a like. In 2001, Harper Collins released the book Vera Wang on Weddings.

Though known for her trademark bridal gowns, Vera Wang has taken her collection to the next level. Vera Wang now offers fragrance, jewelry, eyeware, shoes and houseware collections, including her oh-so-popular China and Crystal collection.

All of Vera's designs prove to be a success, whether it's her apparel or her houseware. In 2005, she was awarded the CFDA (Council of the Fashion Designers of America) Womenswear Designer of the Year. And in 2006, she took home the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Today Vera Wang lives in New York with her husband, Arthur Becker, and their two daughters. Much of her fame can be attributed to her stunning bridal gowns, with more and more celebrities donning her dresses on their big day. Vera Wang has designed gowns for Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Sharon Stone, Victoria Beckham, Michelle Kwan, and many other Hollywood notables.

Company: Vera Wang Collections

Location: New York, NY

Web site:

» READ MORE: www.verawang.com

Where to Find Vera Wang:

» READ MORE: www.bridecouture.com

Vera Wang Boutique, Halekulani Hotel

Kohl's

Neiman Marcus

Saks Fifth Avenue

Neiman Marcus

Bergdorf Goodman