From boarding school to fashion week, Betty Wang has come a long way to becoming our super stylish Associate Divisional Merchandise Manager for Contemporary and Ready-to-Wear for Saks.com. Here, she tells us why she loves what she does and shares some of the best fashion advice she has ever received.
I knew I wanted to work in fashion when…
I went to a conservative, preppy boarding school that had a mandatory dress code (the big trend for girls at school were oversized LL Bean sweaters and penny loafers… with the penny). I found ways to express myself without breaking dress code in leather skirts or wool shorts with tights and a shrunken blazer. It took me a few years to realize fashion retail was the right career for me. In hindsight, I should have picked up on the signs earlier.
My first job out of college was…
Providing ham samples at Dean & Deluca in SoHo to launch Parma Ham from Italy.
I’ve learned the most by working with…
Ron Frasch, our President. He is the most accessible, honest and caring leader I have had the fortune to work with over the course of my different careers. He is passionate about fashion and winning but never at the cost of compromising one’s integrity. He is patient and believes in doing the right thing all the time. He is respectful to all, and in return, he is highly respected. He inspires everyone to work hard but he also believes in making work fun.
The best thing about my job is…
Making customers happy — providing that fashion item customers didn’t know they desired until we provided it and delivered it with the highest level of service.
My biggest challenge is…
Making customers happy.
I absolutely cannot live without my…
Jimmy Choo Lance sandals.
Because I…
Always win an argument with my husband when I wear them.
The best investment piece I have is…
My brown YSL Muse bag. It’s over six years old now and the leather wears better over time. It evolved from “It” bag to a classic bag. I have used it so often, it’s only cost me pennies per wear.
This summer, I will splurge on…
Either the Celine Trapeze bag in multi color wine, black and olive suede or the Bottega green suede wedges with python trim.
This summer, I can’t wait to…
Teach my four year old son to swim so I can sleep better at night knowing he has learned at least one survival skill.
Some of my favorite designers of all time are…
Alber Elbaz and Issey Miyake for their ability to add dimension, soften and shape fabric. Riccardo Tisci for his strong silhouettes, Alexander McQueen for sharp jackets and Phillip Lim for his origami folds. I am more drawn to form in clothing over color and print and these designers inspire others in this talent.
The best fashion advice I have ever received was…
Invest in quality pieces first. Amortize the cost over how many wears you think you will get from a purchase. Often the investment piece ends up as the more cost efficient alternative than a less expensive version that you will only wear for a year.
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