Designer Jason Wu is a young ingénue; he was born in Taipei and raised in Vancouver, but makes a trip to Asia every summer for inspiration and family time. What began as a career designing dolls blossomed into a fashion house. Wu has become a favorite of starlets like Leighton Meester and was recently named a finalist for the competitive CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award, which comes with a $200,000 prize. His feminine designs exude a sense of feminine elegance for the woman who isn’t afraid to look pretty. With a soft palette and an ethereal aesthetic, Wu is a master of details, using draping to contour the body. Wu’s pieces have garnered the attention of international, editors, buyers, and consumers with impeccable taste. Anna Wintour even popped back stage after Wu’s Spring 2009 collection to congratulate him. Life has only gotten sweeter for the talented ingenue. Michelle Obama chose Wu for her Inauguration Ball gown, propelling Wu to worldwide notoriety. The designer had no idea she would be wearing the dress and was home eating Dominos pizza with his friends, when he saw his white one shoulder creation on the new First Lady. Additionally Obama is wearing a pink dress by Jason Wu on the March 2009 Vogue cover.