Before she designed a single dress, Vera Wang was a competitive figure skater. When she missed out on the 1968 U.S. Olympic team, she turned to fashion and spent about 17 years at Vogue, rising to senior fashion editor.
When she got engaged at 40, she couldn't find a wedding dress she liked, so she designed her own. In 1990 she opened a bridal boutique in New York. Her name is now among the best known in bridal fashion.
