The Bite Magazine - Summer 2019 - Issue 25

bite fashion in 2005 by The Council of Fashion Designers of America. Her brand reflecting her vision to create a lifestyle that goes beyond core bridal and ready-to-wear, Vera branched into publishing, fragrances, beauty, accessories and home. In additional to this, she collaborated with leading global partners and manufactures the majority of her bridal collections in company-owned work- rooms in the United States. When she designed a hand-beaded ensemble for figure skater Nancy Kerrigan for the 1994 Olympics, the world sat up and took notice. Since then, she has introduced an equally popular line of elegant eveningwear and her Vera Wang Made to Order line, a collection of couture designs that are available exclusive- ly at the Manhattan boutique to the masses. Her designs have been seen at film premieres and award ceremonies on the likes of Halle Berry, Natalie Dormer, Charlize Theron and Michelle Obama. In 2001, the designer launched her first fragrance and published a highly anticipated wedding guide. Eight years after she established her bridal brand and started designing her own bridal gowns, special occasion dresses and bridesmaids dresses, Vera Wang had her first New York fashion show in April 1998. The show was a success with models walk- ing the designer’s eveningwear collection that were specifically designed by her and well received by store buyers and fashion critics alike. Following this, she opened her first full-sized bou- tique inside Saks Fifth Avenue in San Francisco, California, in July which carries both bridal and eveningwear collections as well as accessories and shoes. The reason brides-to-be and celebrities admire Vera Wang’s gowns so much is because of the styles and rich quality fabrics that she uses such as silk lace and duchess satin, in the tradition of Paris couture and applies them to the simple shapes associated with American sportswear, like the vest dress. It is also her ad- miration of the work of Yves Saint Laurent with its chic, creative and cultured style that has helped her succeed as a designer. She is forever grateful to her mother for taking her to YSL’s salon in Paris when she was growing up which instilled in her a fascina- tion for fashion and style. Vera would go on to show her collections at New York Fash- ion Week for many years to come. The first few shows included her Spring 2000 RTW, which began with pure, modern dress- es in white, accented with graphic, geometric patches of silver beading. This was followed by a series of fluid black pieces and a procession of beaded pants and skirts, transparent tops and sequinned gowns in pastel shades. She closed the show with an array of signature ultra-romantic wedding gowns punctuated by flowing cathedral-length veils that trailed to the floor. The de- signer certainly knew how to keep the crowd watching. For her Fall 2003 collection, Vera proved she could achieve glam- our and sophistication with a lovely Asian-tinged collection. Her slim coats had that early ‘60s elegance while other coats were embellished with a glimmer of beads or origami-folded ribbons. For Summer 2014, the show was full of understated separates and gorgeous gowns that were red carpet ready. Stunning jer- sey goddess dresses in rich green and brilliant red went perfectly with her diamond jewellery while feminine tops and beautifully cut tuxedo trousers were paired together in harmony. The Spring/Summer 2005 collection saw beautiful dresses and skirts with detailed and delicately luxurious fabrics such as crepe de chine, georgette and charmeuse, muted gold lame, brocades, fuzzy cashmere and wafer-thin knits. There were also a scatter- ing of sequins and beads that reminded the crowd of her wed- ding dresses. In the following Fall/Winter 2005 collection at New York Fashion Week, the hues were darker in blacks and browns with shades of green and terracotta. The looks in this show in- cluded empire-line tops, whisper-thin cardigans and full tweed and brocade skirts. Inspired by Matisse, whose vibrant colours were showing at an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art at the time, Ve- ra’s Spring/Summer 2006 collection consisted of tops, skirts and dresses that puffed around the body in a bold mix of the art- ist’s colours. The looks included a beautiful maroon gown and daywear dirndl skirts and smocks over shorter skirts as well as dresses carrying the theme of the American Wild West. Not just wowing the crowd at New York FashionWeek, Vera went back to China to open a bridal boutique in Shanghai in 2005, watched by a fashion crowd intrigued by her global appeal.