Vera Wang

Children's Literature - Norah Piehl

Most people are probably familiar with Vera Wang's fashion designs, particularly her popular line of wedding gowns. This biography covers the fashion, of course, including Wang's influential costumes for world-class figure skaters, her red-carpet gowns, and those wedding dresses, but it also grounds Wang's interest in fashion in her own life, which includes a short career of her own as a figure skater. The story of Wang's current lifestyle focuses on wealth, celebrity, and glamour, extending back as far as her cosmopolitan, jetsetting childhood. It also, however, illustrates Wang's early years of hard work and establishing a reputation, including stints at Vogue and at Ralph Lauren before founding her own label. Sidebars define terms such as "haute couture" and link Wang to Asian-American concerns and other Asian designers. Numerous photographs depict Wang, her family, and her many designs. A chronology and glossary, as well as a list of books, magazines, and websites, are appended. This book is part of the "Asian Americans of Achievement" series. Reviewer: Norah Piehl