Vera Wang, 71, reacts to praise she received for viral sports bra pic: 'Totally shocked'

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Vera Wang says she was stunned when a picture she shared of herself at home in a sports bra went viral months ago.

At age 71, the high-end fashion designer and Vogue's former sittings editor is used to creating picture-perfect moments for her celebrity clients. 

It wasn't until sharing a photo of herself in athleisure back in May that she got a taste of what it was like to be the one in front of a camera as the world weighed in.

Speaking to People magazine, Wang said, "I was totally shocked."

She added: "To be perfectly honest, the real goal of that picture was [to feature] the hair clips I had in my hair. And hair clips don't exactly show up that well in a picture. So we really had to minimize whatever I was wearing and to keep the focus on my hair and those crystal clips. And the fact it became about my Palm Angels workout top was so crazy."

VERA WANG FLAUNTS INCREDIBLE FIGURE IN SPORTS BRA AND LEGGINGS AHEAD OF 71ST BIRTHDAY

Wang also reflected on her decades-long career in fashion. A big part of her job is making sure her A-list clients are red carpet ready for some of the biggest industry events of the year, such as the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes.

Vera Wang went viral in May after posting a photo of herself in a sports bra at her home in Miami, Fla.  (Michael Stewart/FilmMagic)

"I'm sort of the one that always puts the women I dress upfront," she told the outlet. "I am a fashion designer...And so I'm always the one pushing them out the door, and fixing their train at the Met Gala."

Wang said that her years spent behind the camera means she's always viewed herself as a "creator" rather than "the subject matter."

"So it was sort of shocking. I can't lie to you," she added.

The age-defying photo showed the fashion designer rocking an orange sports bra and white shorts while at her home in Miami, Fla. Several said she appeared to be in her 20s despite the photo being taken just a couple of months shy of the icon's 71st birthday.

VERA WANG, 70, SHOWS OFF HER INCREDIBLE ABS LEAVING FANS STUNNED

She revealed working out is a part of her schedule but it's not exactly a daily priority.

"I would say [it's] sporadic. Sporadic is the perfect word," Wang said of her fitness routine.

"I mean, I was an elite athlete in my youth. I was a competitive figure skater in the United States and a dancer at Balanchine School of American Ballet. I think when you spend the first 16 years of your life that physically engaged, there is such a thing that it sort of stays with you," she added. "There's a muscle memory that goes with that."

She also said sleep is perhaps the most important thing when it comes to balancing her career and two children.

"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," she said.

Her alcoholic beverage of choice is vodka, she said, but she insisted she doesn't overdo it.

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In a 2016 interview with Harper's BAZAAR U.S., Wang revealed she "usually lifts weights" each day but "not much — two pounds and three pounds. It takes me a total of five minutes." She also loves bike riding and playing golf.

Zendaya is dressed in one of Vera Wang's designs at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

The designer also typically eats healthy. She said, "I go through phases with what I eat for lunch: I like sashimi with brown rice and vegetables, Chinese steamed broccoli with chicken and rice, or the artichoke salad or fish from Sant Ambroeus."

The designer has been working in the fashion industry for years. After getting her start at Vogue, she moved on to Ralph Lauren but left after two years to start her own brand at 40 years old.

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Wang has designed wedding dresses for celebrities such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alicia Keys, Hilary Duff and Khloe Kardashian.

Fox News' Jessica Napoli contributed to this report.