Net Worth Ranker
What Is Vera Wang Net Worth
Vera Wang, an iconic American fashion designer and former figure skater, boasts a substantial net worth of $650 million. This impressive figure reflects her success in the fashion industry, particularly her renowned wedding gown designs. These have become a staple for celebrities, including Chelsea Clinton, Uma Thurman, Jennifer Garner, Holly Hunter, and Alicia Keys.
Vera Wang’s Diverse Career and Earnings
Wang’s net worth is built upon a multifaceted career. Beyond bridal wear, she has successfully ventured into houseware, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, and jewelry collections, each contributing to her financial success.
Having initially stepped into the fashion world right after college, Wang secured a position as an editor at “Vogue,” marking her as the youngest editor in the magazine’s history. She dedicated 17 years to “Vogue” before transitioning to Ralph Lauren in 1987, where she spent two years before venturing into the world of self-owned design labels at the age of 40 with a focus on bridal wear.
In 1990, Wang established her own boutique within the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. Subsequently, her boutique footprint extended globally to cities like London, Tokyo, and Sydney. This expansion marked a significant step in solidifying her brand’s global presence and accessibility.
In 2002, Wang broadened her design scope beyond wedding dresses to include designs for the home. In 2007, she initiated a retail line called Simply Vera in collaboration with Kohl’s. In 2011, she collaborated with David’s Bridal to launch “White by Vera Wang,” which offers wedding and bridesmaids gowns beginning at only $600. She partnered with Men’s Wearhouse to offer tuxedo styles.
As a wedding dress designer, Wang received requests from high-profile figures to commission custom gowns for their big day. She has designed wedding dresses for Chelsea Clinton, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Ivanka Trump, Hilary Duff, Victoria Beckham, and Khloe and Kim Kardashian, among many others. In addition to wedding dresses, she premiered evening wear at New York Fashion Week, and her designs have been worn by Michelle Obama, Viola Davis, and Sofia Vergara. Given her love of figure skating, she designed costumes for Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan, Evan Lysacek, and Nathan Chen.
Wang was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009. She designed the uniforms worn by the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders. In 2019, Wang reappeared at New York Fashion Week to unveil her 2020 Spring/Summer collection.
Early Life and Education
Vera Wang was born on June 27, 1949, in New York City. Her parents, Florence Wu and Cheng Ching Wang, had immigrated from China in the 1940s. Her mother was a translator for the United Nations, and her father owned a medicine company, having graduated from Yanjing University in China and MIT in the United States. She has a younger brother named Kenneth. She began figure skating at age 8, training at a high level. She skated independently and in pairs and competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She attended Friends Seminary and then transferred to the Chapin School, graduating in 1967. She enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College, where she pursued a degree in art history, studied abroad at the University of Paris, and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 1971.
Awards, Recognition, and Personal Life
Throughout her career, Wang has received numerous awards. In June 2005, she won the Council of Fashion Designers of America Womenswear Designer of the Year award. In 2006, she won the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
In June 1989, Wang married Arthur Becker, an investor. They had an interfaith ceremony and adopted two daughters, Cecilia Sloane and Josephine Heloise, and raised them in New York. In July 2012, the couple announced their separation. Wang raised her family across the street from her childhood home in Manhattan. In 2007, she purchased her family’s former home and renovated it over nine years. She now has the home as her primary residence and also has homes in Paris and California.
