Vera Wang: Courage – 'a large part of the creative process'

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Chinese-American designer Vera Wang is no doubt the queen of the bridal wear empire.

She opened her own boutique when she was 40 – a late-starter considered by many. But 28 years later, she has expanded from bridal wedding gowns to women's fashion, accessories and home decor.

Wang was ranked the 29th among Forbes’ richest self-made women this year, with an estimated fortune of 630 million US dollars.

At the Alibaba convention for female entrepreneurs on Monday, Wang said creativity was the key to success and it takes courage to be creative.

“Courage is a large part of the creative process,” she said. “Fashion grew out of my need to express myself and challenge the status quo.”

Vera Wang shares her personal experience in the fashion industry on Monday at the 2017 Global Conference on Women and Entrepreneurship. /Alibaba Photo

Wang was one of the star attractions at the 2017 Global Conference on Women and Entrepreneurship in Hangzhou from July 10 to 11.

Her designs are the dream for some on their wedding days, and a way to raise the fashion profile for many celebrities.

During her speech, she said it was failure which brought her the opportunities that led to today's success, adding that failure was not something women or anyone should be fearful of.

Born and raised in New York City, Wang was trained as a competitive figure skater as a child.

With visions of Olympic gold, she competed in countless matches but did not make it to the US team.

The failure did not knock her down. Instead, Wang joined Vogue as the then-youngest editor right upon her graduation from the Sarah Lawrence College.

The job at Vogue continued for 17 years when Wang left Vogue for US fashion brand Ralph Lauren to be a designer, a choice seen as risky after nearly two decades of stability as an editor.

She worked at Ralph Lauren for two years before she struck out on her own as an independent bridal wear designer.

Chinese actress Janine Chang attends Shanghai International Film Festival in Vera Wang's white gown in June. US fashion model Bella hadid shows up on streets in Italy wearing Wang's eyewear. US fashion model Kendall Jenner walks the runway wearing Vera Wang Collection Fall 2016 during New York Fashion Week in February 2016. /VCG Photo

“Discover what is authentic and resonates with you. It is up to you to define your own life, nobody else,” she said at the convention. “A great visionary, a great idea, great passion, great courage, cannot be ignored.”

Wang encouraged women to fear no negative comments from others and follow what they think is right.

During the two-day convention in Hangzhou, south China's Zhejiang Province,1,500 people gathered to listen to over 30 of the world's most influential women to discuss gender equality in the business world and share their own experiences.

The speakers included Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women; Bardish Chagger, Canada’s minister of small business and tourism; and Chinese actress Sun Li who is also a business owner.

The annual convention was founded in 2015 by the Alibaba Group to highlight the achievements of successful business women.

Alibaba's Jack Ma talks about the importance of female leadership in work place on Monday during the convention. /VCG Photo

"In the 18 years since we founded Alibaba," said founder Jack Ma. "it has consistently been female co-workers who pushed me forward.”

Almost half of Alibaba’s 50,000-plus workforce comprises women, who also account for a third of the company’s top management team, as Ma believes "women care more for others than men."

During Wang's speech, she praised Ma's vision of realizing the potential of women in the future development of Alibaba and the overall business world.

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