Vera Wang has shared some of her surprising secrets to staying young.
The 74-year-old fashion designer shared her candid thoughts about ageing during an interview with Page Six Style on 19 October, while attending the DKMS Gala in New York City. She specified that when it comes to her meal choices, she includes one fast-food chain in her diet: McDonald’s.
“I do eat McDonald’s, absolutely,” she said. “I order it every day, like two weeks on it, and then I’ll change.”
Aside from the popular restaurant, Wang revealed that she’s a fan of another chain: Dunkin’ Donuts. She also specified which donuts she usually likes to order.
“It’s like a jelly donut, but it’s cream inside, vanilla cream,” she explained. “I like the pink with sprinkles, too.”
However, Wang acknowledged that it isn’t just her food choices that keep her young, as she opened up about the importance of working hard throughout her career.
“Basically, I’ve worked my whole life, so it’s really been about work. I think work keeps you young and stimulated,” she said. She added that she’s remained focused on her health amid her responsibilities as both a designer and mother, as she shares two children, Cecilia Becker, 33, and Josephine Becker, 30, with ex-husband Arthur P Becker.
“I work very long hours, I’ve raised two daughters. I think keeping busy is the best antidote [for] good health,” she explained.
This isn’t the first time that Wang has opened up about feeling young. In 2020, she went viral after she shared a photo of herself posing in a sports bra and shorts, with fans praising her figure, specifically her abs, and expressing how “amazing” she looked for her age. At the time, one fan went on to compliment her appearance and asked her what her routine was, in the comments of the Instagram post. In response, Wang noted that her daily habits were pretty simple, writing: “Work, sleep, a vodka cocktail, not much sun…”
The designer also referenced the importance of sleep and vodka while speaking to People in 2020, when she was asked about her self-care tools.
“Sleep is key to having survived growing a company, raising two kids,” she said. “I mean, I don’t think I could exist if I wasn’t able to sleep. I had to get rest because I feel it’s a regenerator. So sleep is a very big part and certainly vodka. Because I mean, it’s just so great to be able to unwind with a cocktail.”
During an interview with People in April of this year, she was asked about another comment on her viral Instagram photo of her abs, which read: “Tell us where the fountain of youth is please.” She then noted that it is her peers that have kept her motivated, before sharing that she wants women to be proud of who they are as they age.
“I guess it’s just that people have an idea of what 70 looks like today. I have so many friends that are 65 to 70 that look fabulous,” she said. “But I have to say that hopefully, it’s a good thing.”
She continued: “I hope it makes women feel more comfortable with themselves or are confident, or there are many definitions of what a woman can be.”
During an interview with BBC 100 Women in March 2022, she emphasised how surprised she was when her 2020 photo went viral. “I was really shocked, I have to be very honest,” she said. “I didn’t think of myself as being particularly risqué.”
However, she noted that she was “grateful” when people praised her abs and called the remarks “very complimentary”.
She also hit back at misconceptions about ageism, as she referred to the term as “so-old fashioned” and noted that she wouldn’t let it impact her perspective about getting older.
“I never thought about going way out of my way to preserve my youth in a fanatical, obsessive way,” she added.
