Amid the vows, the yachts, and the threats of inflatable crocodiles, Lauren Sánchez Bezos did something quietly radical: she wiped her entire Instagram profile.
Her account, which has 1.1 million followers, now contains just two photos from her wedding extravaganza to billionaire Jeff Bezos: a solo shot showcasing her Dolce & Gabbana dress, and a pair of the smiling newlyweds walking hand in hand.
Though her bio still lists her as an Emmy award-winning journalist and NYT bestselling author, any further evidence of a former professional or personal life has been deleted.
It’s a relationship rebrand we’ve seen before, most famously with Meghan Markle, who deleted her Lifestyle blog and personal social media accounts shortly after announcing her engagement to Prince Harry in 2018.
And, like every high profile Instagram hiatus that came before it, Mrs Amazon’s evolution has led to a debate in the group chat.
Is this another example of a woman making herself quieter, more palatable, to fulfill the public persona of ‘the good wife’?
Or could it actually be the ultimate power move, from a woman who is increasingly telling the world that she does not care what you think. Like, at all.
Psychotherapist and relationship author Lucy Beresford says she frequently sees clients – women in particular – rebranding themselves on social media at the end of one relationship or the start of another. But it’s not about pretending the past didn’t happen.
‘I don’t think we should necessarily see it as fake,’ she tells Metro. ‘It’s very much about women owning their story. They’re in control of their finances, they’re in control of their careers. Why would they not want to be in control of the stories about their relationships?’
It’s women who make headlines when they make public statements about who they are, because society has a history of putting ‘women in boxes’.
It’s for this very reason that a social media purge can feel cathartic, argues Lucy, noting that it has become the modern day equivalent of getting a new haircut to mark new beginnings.
‘It’s almost like clearing out the attic, right? It’s about saying: “I’m fully embracing the me that I am now, and nothing’s going to stop me. This is the next chapter of my life and time.”’
We all know social media is a performative highlights reel, not an accurate archive of daily life. As Lucy puts it, you wouldn’t expect to see someone picking up their dog’s poo, but we all know it happens.
So, why do we expect the profiles of the rich and famous to reflect every aspect of their life? And does it really matter if we choose to curate ours by removing an ex or an old memory or two?
‘It’s about saying somewhere in my heart, that relationship is part of me, but I don’t need to have it now on my Instagram page,’ she argues.
For Lauren Sanchez Bezos in particular, this dramatic move seems aligned with her own unapologetic brand. Her fashion choices have contributed to British Vogue declaring that “chic is dead”. And rightly or oh-so wrongly, she pushed ahead with the $46 million Venice wedding, in a dispay of wealth so ostentatious, so tonally absurd in a world where thousands are trapped in war or starving, that it led to weeks of protests and widespread criticism.
This is a woman who – like it or not – has the world at her disposal. Maybe she just wanted a clean slate, or an aesthetically pleasing grid. Maybe, it’s just not that deep?
For mere mortals considering a mass social media deletion, Lucy recommends some self scrutiny. ‘Are trying to perform for a particular audience?’ she asks.
If you’re tempted to delete old friendships, relationships and work-related posts, pause to think about why and avoid any kneejerk decisions. And of course, you should never feel pressure to present a certain way online because a new partner has told you to.
‘If somebody wanted to end their therapeutic relationship with me, I would advise them to not end there and then that day, we would work towards it,’ Lucy says. ‘Similarly, funerals take time, because you need to process emotions.
‘If you’re going to do deletions on social media, build up to it. Have a sense of gratitude for everything that’s gone before.’
Ultimately, we won’t know whether Lauren has gone full tradwife or billionaire baddie until she makes her next move. But her social media move has gained her some fans – whether she cares or not is another matter.
‘Letting go is a really hard thing to do, so I really admire her for that, actually,’ says Lucy.
‘There are so many people who hold onto memories, but what Lauren has done can be very empowering.’
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