Vera Richter studied theatre studies and cultural management at the University of Leipzig, her hometown, as well as costume design at the University for Theatre in Leipzig from 1990 to 1995. During this time, she worked at the Leipzig Opera as assistant to the costume director and costume assistant. She moved to the Vienna State Opera in 1997 as production manager of the costume workshops. From 1999 to 2013, she held the same position at Theaterservice GmbH and from 2005 at ART FOR ART, where she was responsible for costume production for the Vienna State Opera. Since 2013 Vera Richter has been Costume Director of the Vienna State Opera.
Vera Richter created her own costume designs in 1994 and 1995 as the founder of a Leipzig Young Choreographers Project, for whose artistic concept she was also responsible. In 1996, she created the costumes for a dance project in collaboration with the Leipzig Synagogue Choir for the choreographer Mario Schröder. In 2014, she designed the costumes for Renato Zanella's Vienna Opera Ball opening with the Vienna State Ballet. For the premiere of Shifting Symmetries, Vera Richter designed the costumes for George Balanchine's Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet.