The $50 million rebrand of Lauren Sánchez
It was a wedding, yes, but for Sánchez it was also a reset, while Vogue squandered yet more credibility breathlessly covering it all
At around 10.20pm Central European Time on Friday, as she celebrated her wedding to Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez deleted all her old Instagram posts, changed her name to Lauren Sánchez Bezos and hit send on her first update as a married woman…
The candid image of the happy couple, captured just minutes after they said “I do,” was confirmation to the world that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez were now Mr and Mrs. But it turns out that the lavish three-day event that imposed itself on Venice, Italy, was purely ceremonial. Reporting from the Daily Mail claimed that the filthy-rich couple had actually tied the knot several weeks ago in America.
The $50 million, star-studded extravaganza being just for show was not surprising given that the couple are not known for their subtlety, but what was unexpected was that the event would also serve as a reset of the Lauren Sánchez brand.
Cleansing Insta of hundreds of posts, including one published just 24 hours prior, was quickly followed by Sánchez Bezos’ first move - the release of a glossy Vogue digital cover…
Crucially, the write up and photoshoot were focussed solely on Sánchez Bezos, an upgrade on her previous and much mocked 2023 Vogue feature that included her Amazon founder fiancé alongside her.
The deal with Vogue would have been plotted months ago, and the pictures and interview were done weeks earlier on June 9, just one day after the final fittings for her stunning Dolce & Gabbana wedding gown.
Known for showing off her ample cleavage, Sánchez Bezos‘ dress was uncharacteristically modest. The high neck and long lace sleeves meant her gym-toned body was barely visible. Her make-up and loose up-do were equally understated. “This is part of the evolution,” she told Vogue. “I want it as natural as you can get it.”
Natural is not a word commonly associated with Sánchez Bezos, so is this a pivot? And if so why would getting wed prompt her to delete her Instagram past? You’d hope the Vogue write-up might throw us some clues, but it failed to dig even one layer deep.
Sure, they make reference to the protests from Venice residents that greeted the pair as they arrived in the city, but little else is examined, and their vast wealth is barely mentioned. Instead paragraph after paragraph are dedicated to the many 1950s references that served as inspiration for Sánchez Bezos’ multiple wedding outfits, her adoration for her now husband and the bride’s claim that the wedding would be “extremely intimate” despite the 200 attendees.
Sánchez Bezos talks of “stepping into a different role,” post wedding but there is, again, no follow up from Vogue. Indeed the interview is so lightweight that it’s clear that the magazine hasn’t learnt a single thing since they last interviewed Sánchez Bezos.
Back then I wrote a piece detailing the many missteps made by both the magazine and the couple that led to major backlash. Doing exactly the same thing again 19 months later tells me that both parties care little about what the masses think. But if that’s true then why is Sánchez Bezos taking time out of her wedding day to relaunch the only platform she uses to communicate with the world?
Maybe she’s seen how the influencers Sofia Richie Grainge and Jaz Smith used their weddings as launch pads for their fame? Maybe she thinks the shift in her status is so great her past needs to be scrubbed from the internet? I wish Vogue could have provided us with some answers, but in lieu of that let me float a theory.
Despite her unfathomable wealth Sánchez Bezos continues to spend time and energy on a public Instagram account. I do not understand why anyone in her position would do that unless they seek or need validation or they want their own platform to express themselves and gain influence.
Her husband, aka the third richest person in the world, has a verified handle that he barely posts to and when he does it’s nearly always work related. Notably he hasn't made any mention of the marriage. Lauren however has, in her debut post on the reset account, and in her second she dedicated three images and a gushing caption to thank the designers Dolce & Gabbana for her gown.
Meanwhile her other wedding wardrobe choices have screamed: “Take me seriously fashion world”. A dress from Schiaparelli‘s couture collection, a vintage Alexander McQueen dress and a classic Dior suit accessorised with a Hermes headscarf. Add that to her decision to work with Vogue when many other publications would have wanted the dress reveal exclusive, and the contours of a picture start to emerge - Sánchez Bezos wants to be a fashion heavy hitter.
If I’m right the Instagram shift may not be about the masses at all, but instead a place for her to prove her fashion chops to the fashion elite who are obsessed with the platform. The past had to go as that was the old Lauren. Expect to see the new Lauren on the front row.
highly flammable is produced and written by me, Rachel Richardson
I’m a content creator, commentator and a consultant for hire at Beginning, Middle and End
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It is all so embarrassingly gauche 🫣
Jesus Christ who chose that carpet! Is it all a swizz, did they actually wed in their local registry office??