Quotes from Vera Wang

Just because you're from a city ten miles outside of St. Paul. It doesn't mean you don't read magazines, or the incredible Internet, and what's going on in the world. I never, ever take a client, or women, for granted.

Success isn't about the end result; it's about what you learn along the way.

I wanted to breathe new life into the timeless trend of past, present and future. These unique designs celebrate the bride and groom's passage through their new life together.

I make things of my own that aren't that glam, but I'm not known for that, which has always been a bit of a frustration for me.

A woman is never sexier than when she is comfortable in her clothes.

I adore the challenge of creating truly modern clothes, where a woman's personality and sense of self are revealed. I want people to see the dress, but focus on the woman.

Design is about point of view, and there should be some sort of woman or lifestyle or attitude in one's head as a designer. So my being able to reach the masses was something that meant a great deal to me - especially for women who could never wear Vera Wang.

I was trying to manage school and training for the Olympics and ended up not doing well at either. That was a big lesson in my life. My mother expected both.

They never ask the celebrities why they don't wear their own clothes on the red carpet.

I always see where I didn't do things the right way. I only see the heavy lifting. That's a bit of my wisdom, if you want to call it that.

When you love something, every day goes by in 10 minutes.

When you have a passion for something then you tend not only to be better at it, but you work harder at it too.

I was a total fashion insider who became an outsider when I did bridal.

In the end, it's not about failure, it's about how much you love what you do.

It's a remarkable exercise to sit and look at your own work over the years.

The great thing about having a pool in L.A. is that I can use it year-round. And since I've always been an athlete, staying fit is very important.

Figure skating has been a great influence for me. I took dance at the School of American Ballet, which helped my own skating. And whether you are a skater or a dancer, without sounding narcissistic, it is all about looking in the mirror.

That was a major goal for me - to be able to reach and encourage more women, to encourage them to express themselves and be what they want to be. People get very trapped where they are.

It takes tremendous will to compete in any athletic endeavor, so it meant going to bed early and getting my homework done in advance. I had to sacrifice things, like a social life, to be a skater at 15. But I loved skating so much that it was worth everything to me.

The key is falling in love with something, anything. If your heart's attached to it, then your mind will be attached to it.

I love sportswear in my own weird way. Fashion is such a personal journey for me. I'm much more of a girl that's a T-shirt, legging, layering kind of thing, and outerwear.

I love to design things that people can actually buy. I'm staggered by what a boot costs today.

Let's be realistic, how many people are buying a $2, 000 skirt? I love to design things that people can actually buy. I'm staggered by what a boot costs today.

I don't live through my kids. But I do know what will happen in life, and I just want them well prepared.