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By Ray Flatt

V era Wang,the queen of redcarpet dressing,didn’t go into the fashion business with stars in her eyes.She knew about its unglamorous(單調(diào)乏味的)side,the hard work and,especially,the risks.And she had plenty of doubts along the way.

But every time one person—and,she says,it really just takes one—figures out what she’s trying to express with a certain design,she’s reminded of the reason why she became involved in fashion,and why she’s still in it:there’s an indefinable payoff from helping a woman look and feel her best.

Wang,63,was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in June 2013 at its prestigious awards show,often called “the Oscars of fashion”.

“To all the women and men I have dressed,thank you for your trust,”she said when accepting the award from her mentor(導(dǎo)師)and former employer Ralph Lauren.

Her hit designs include the lavender(淡紫的)skirt actress Sharon Stone paired with a Gap shirt at the Oscars in 1998 and the crystal waistband wedding gown that Chelsea Clinton wore in 2010.There’s rarely a Hollywood event or an A-list(重要的)wedding where Wang’s name doesn’t come up.

Wang also has two lowerpriced lines.She’s developed a fragrance business and a home goods collection.And she even has a flower bouquet business.

Wang wasn’t always sure this would be her path.She studied art history at Sarah Lawrence College and was a competitive figure skater in contention for a spot on the 1968 US Olympic team.Her family wasn’t initially supportive of fashion as a career path,and although they had financial means,they didn’t back her at first.So she went to work as an editor at Vogue,and then at Ralph Lauren,before launching her company in 1990 as a bridal brand.She earned fame and respect through her hard work.

Her mentor described Wang as“a unique young woman filled with a rare passion for fashion”. “In all the years since,I have watched her drive,dedication and talent shape an entire world inspired by her own life—first as a bride,then as a wife and mother,but always as a strong and beautiful woman,”Lauren said.