‘I think it’s probably too late for me’
Vera Wang has designed clothes for so many people, from the Kardashians to Michelle Obama, and women around the world covet her thousands of dollars’ worth of wedding dresses.
But Wang’s success – her career as a fashion designer – still surprises herself.
“If someone said, I’m the girl who didn’t get married until 40 and built a business out of a wedding dress, I would laugh,” Wang told CNBC Make It.
Indeed, it was the greatest success of Wang’s life until later. Wang grew up in an exceptional life with his parents (who were Chinese immigrants) on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
At the age of 7, she started figure skating and her ability was outstanding. But after failed attempts to make it to the Olympics, Wang eventually turned to her other passion: fashion.
“It was influenced by my mother, who was a horseman,” she said.
Wang worked for Vogue for 17 years until she lost to Anna Wintour for the position of editor-in-chief.
Her wedding took place later. When Wang decided to get married just before her 40th birthday to computer executive Arthur Becker (they were divorced), she struggled to find a wedding dress.
Her father saw this as a business opportunity. But Wang hesitated.
“I think maybe it’s too late for me,” she said. However, her father continued to encourage her, even giving her the capital to open her beauty salon at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City in 1990.
“There have been millions of days where I asked myself, ‘What am I thinking?’ or “Why am I doing this?” – Wang said – “But there have been days when I feel extremely fortunate to be able to do what I love so much and learn new lessons every day not just with my thoughts. how to be a designer but also an entrepreneur.”
Today, there are many bridal boutiques bearing the name Vera Wang in London, Tokyo and Sydney. Her eponymous brand has also expanded into ready-to-wear, jewelry, eyewear, footwear, fragrance and homeware products. She has licensing deals with Zales, Kohl’s and David’s Bridal and directly manages more than 200 employees.
Wang said of his business work: “I am the sole owner.” (Forbes reported in 2020 that Wang’s net worth is around $270 million.)
At 71, Wang still has no plans to slow down. In February, she created a limited edition vodka line with Chopin.
“I think the day when I don’t want to grow anymore will actually be the day that I stop,” she says.
Here, Wang talks about the failures, fears, and how struggling to find the perfect wedding dress at 40 (with a little push from her dad) made her decide to start her own company.
Success: ‘It’s a Daily Struggle’
For me, I have to be honest, it’s really a daily struggle. My life is neither balanced nor complete.
I think work is my whole life and it exposes me to so many emotions, attraction, passion, fear, anxiety and stress. But my career has really helped me to have a very fulfilling life.
Juggling Everything: ‘I Go Where Who Screams Loudest’
Honestly, I go to whoever screams the loudest. Running a company is like a family. So, whoever screams the loudest, you run to that child.
It actually makes a lot of sense, because if someone screams out loud, it means something is wrong or something needs to be fixed. That’s the way I run it. Prioritizing is not always possible because many times, 10 things are equally important. Just, how do you solve as much as possible in a positive way.
Owning a business is not for everyone. But if you really love something, whatever it is, it’s a big start. If you don’t love it, you won’t make it. Things can get tougher and decisions will be tough.
Her motivation: ‘I used to fall short of the standards I wanted’
When you realize that you’ve failed at something, you just have to learn to let go, and letting go can be even harder than hanging around.
For me, fashion became the next passion (after skating). I once told my father, I needed a reason to get up in the morning. I needed a reason to feel motivated, to create feelings of excitement or hope, or even fear. So I went to Vogue.
But in my own mind, I did not achieve what I hoped for. I felt that, once again, I had fallen into a depression. I didn’t join the Olympic team, nor did I become editor-in-chief at Vogue.
I really blame myself that I haven’t met my goals in the past, and I get motivated from that.
Her decision to start a company: ‘I couldn’t find a wedding dress I wanted’
I’ve always dreamed of being a fashion designer, and I thought, if I don’t try now, I’ll never be able to.
So I came to Ralph Lauren through my relationship with Vogue and became the design director for all the women’s clothing there. When I saw what it took to build that kind of empire, if I had stayed calm, I might have stopped there.
But I had my wedding scheduled and I started looking for the dress. I couldn’t find any that I wanted. I was 39 years old then, today that age doesn’t seem too late to have a wedding but I got married in 1989 that’s considered. I just find it ridiculous running around wedding halls and the like.
It was my father, when he saw me walking past this place just looking for a dress, said, “I think maybe this is a serious business opportunity.” He encouraged me to leave Ralph and start my own company.
At that time, I was 40 years old, married, starting my own company and also trying to become a mother. It’s wild.
Advice for young people: ‘Let’s start now’
I tell young people that what I hope for all of them is that they don’t get sidetracked.
Everyone told me not to do this, not to do that. Just because people object to it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. And regret is much worse than never trying and even worse, failing.
The point is you just have to get started. Any work you do is not necessarily final. I think a job can be what you bring to it and make it.
Health: ‘What keeps you young is your mind and spirit’
I have to say that after work, sleep is very important to me, even though it was disrupted by the pandemic. I don’t know why, but it really does.
What keeps you young is your mind and spirit. I think that’s much more important than a diet or how many hours you’re biking.The village “located at the bottom of the well” is known as a fairyland: Once isolated from the outside for hundreds of years, it has now become a tourist attraction.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: cafebiz.vn – Read the original article here
