Nicknamed 'nuclear Wintour' for her frosty nature, Dame Anna - the legendary Vogue boss - wouldn't be seen arriving at Paris Fashion Week with just anyone.

So it's no wonder the rumour mill went into overdrive when she stepped out of her car at the Schiaparelli show yesterday with none other than Jeff Bezos's wife, Lauren Sanchez.

The duo's outing has done nothing to dampen speculation that the Amazon tycoon is one step closer to purchasing Condé Nast, the parent company of 'fashion bible' Vogue.

And what a coup that would be for Lauren, who graced the cover of Vogue in her wedding dress, and posed backstage at yesterday's Dior show with the brand's CEO, Delphine Arnault, and creative director, Jonathan Anderson.

It was a quick recovery from her stumble on the way in, when she took an awkward tumble and tripped in the doorway.

And despite her efforts to show the world that she's risen to the pinnacle of the fashion industry, Lauren was widely mocked for her blood-red Schiaparelli suit, which has been likened to an ensemble from 'Shein'.

Speculation about a potential Bezos-Sanchez takeover arose in June 2025, when the billionaire and his bride secured the digital cover in light of their nuptials, with Sanchez, 56, meeting Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content for American Vogue.

For many, it was no coincidence that Mrs Bezos graced the 'fashion bible' pages while wearing a Dolce & Gabbana wedding gown hand-picked by Dame Anna Wintour herself.

The Newhouse family, who have owned Condé Nast since 1959 and continue to hold it privately under their media empire, Advance Publications, insist their titles are not on the market. And in July, a source close to Bezos told The Mail on Sunday that it was 'totally untrue' that he was considering buying Condé Nast.

Dame Anna announced she was stepping down as Vogue Editor-in-Chief after 37 years in the role last June, but remains in control of global operations.

A source told The Mail on Sunday in July: 'The rumour that Jeff is going to buy Condé Nast is all anyone's talking about in the fashion industry and inside Vogue.

'Lauren Sanchez is such an unlikely cover star, and the word is that she landed the July issue partly because the Newhouse family wanted to butter up Bezos. In New York they're slimming down the business which is exactly what companies do before a sale.'

Indeed, a wave of redundancies hit the company globally, including half of the staff at Teen Vogue, as the publication is being absorbed into the brand's main title.

Bezos first entered the media world in 2013, when he purchased the Washington Post in a surprise acquisition, paying $250 million in cash and ending the Graham family's four-generation ownership. 

Last November, the world's fourth-richest man and his wife were unveiled as lead sponsors of arguably fashion's biggest event of the year, the Met Gala.

Backlash mounted surrounding the growing influence of billionaires in the fashion industry, and their alleged ability to buy their way into, and control, major cultural events.

Wintour defended the Bezos-Sanchez sponsorship. She told CNN that Sanchez is a 'great lover of costume and obviously of fashion', and that she believes she will become a 'wonderful asset to the museum and the event'.

And this week, Bezos proved he's made his way into the fashion world by attending prestigious Paris Fashion Week events alongside his wife, including the Schiaparelli show that saw Sanchez dressed by the fashion house in a red suit. 

Her ensemble, however, left onlookers unimpressed, with people commenting that she appeared 'tacky'.

One wrote: 'She really doesn't have style but so much money. Oh lord… Shein model is fair to say.' Another wrote: 'Well…class is one thing money can't buy,' said another.'

Others commented on the potential Bezos-Sanchez Condé Nast takeover, writing: 'It's kind of inevitable considering how fashion more than even needs capital.'

French journalist Louis Pisano wrote: 'It was inevitable that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, thirsty for cultural domination, would sink their claws into the Met Gala via sponsorship.

'Their entire media rollout has been leading to this exact moment. When that purchase announcement comes next ... don't act shocked.'