party lines

Vera Wang Looks Forward to Designing Wedding Dresses Out of the $20,000 Range

Last night at the Parson’s Annual Fashion Benefit, Vera Wang told us she hasn’t started designing her David’s Bridal line yet. “It’s been in the works a very, very, very long time. Part of the joy is that, with their power as retailers, I can create outside of the $20,000 range,” she said. “I think it’s time to get more than 10,000 women a year, you know? Why should price dictate if you have great taste? I don’t believe in that.”

Wang, who designs a diffusion line for Kohl’s, isn’t sure how exactly the David’s Bridal line will differ from her main bridal line. “But I had an experimental period with Kohl’s. I’m fairly good at adapting. But it’s great. It’s very freeing,” she added. “At the upper end, I always have to keep the ball rolling and it’s pretty heavy-duty lifting. David’s Bridal is going to be play. But the audience is very full. So all of that development, twenty years of my life — my design team, technical knowledge — I can just take advantage of it now.”

Aside from the many design students at the benefit last night, Jason Wu also attended. He recalled sewing his first dress for his mother. “When I was 10 and I got my first sewing machine, I scrounged up some drapes,” he told us. His mom, who bought him his first sewing machine, never wore it. “I think it ended up falling apart.” Patricia Field had no trouble recalling her first clothing design. “I designed leggings,” she said. “I invented leggings.”

Vera Wang Looks Forward to Designing Wedding Dresses Out of the $20,000 Range