The White Vera Wang

It is often said that Aaron Sorkin's West Wing was based on the Clinton White House. So there was a little hint of live imitating art at yesterday's 'royal' wedding in New York State.

The only dress designer to feature in the title of West Wing episode was Vera Wang in the third season episode The Black Vera Wang in which CJ was put under secret service protection. Yesterday Chelsea Clinton walked down the aisle on the arm of President Clinton in an ivory Vera Wang gown.

The mother of the bride the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will have been glad that unlike Josiah Bartlett's daughter's wedding there wasn't an international crisis pending that required her attention in the situation room to the last possible minute.

Vera was born of Chinese-born parents in New York, her mother was a translator at the United Nations and her father owned a medical business. She was a pairs figues skater but in the 1968 US Championships failed to make the Olympic team. Figure skating's loss became the fashion industries gain.

As well as Chelsea's dress and the mention in The West Wing she also designed Charlotte's wedding dress in Sex and the City. Her wedding gowns are a reknowned part of her fashion house, but she also has designed skating outfits for Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek which have earned her a place in the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame.