Jeff Bezos appeared in public Thursday sporting a brand-new hairstyle, marking his first major appearance since marrying Lauren Sánchez days after in a lavish Italian ceremony.
The Amazon founder was photographed in Sun Valley, Idaho, with thick silver-gray hair growing around the sides of his head, abandoning the signature nearly-bald look he has maintained since 2013.
Bezos, 61, and his new wife, 55, were attending the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, where tech billionaires, media moguls, and political figures gather annually for the exclusive week-long summit.
The hair change has generated a lot of reactions from People magazine readers.
Some played up how people were shocked by him growing out his hair.
“Shocking hair style? I can go to any senior center and find 30 men with this same look,” one reader noted, while another drew a Hollywood comparison, saying Bezos “reminds me of Cecil B. DeMille in his profile.”
Other reactions were considerably less flattering.
“The ‘hair style’ is generally sold in costume shops ahead of Halloween in Hollywood. And usually with a harlequin style suit, big shoes, and a red nose,” one person quipped.
Some attributed it to him becoming comfortable in his relationship with Sánchez.
“Once you get the ring on her finger, you stop trying so hard. It’s starting already, with him growing his hair out,” one person commented, before adding, “It would be pure speculation on my part, but as a married man myself, it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s not the only Bezos fur that’s about to make a major comeback.”
Bezos was last seen with hair over a decade ago, when it was dark brown.
The timing of the style change comes just 14 days after his June 27 wedding to Sánchez on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy. The three-day celebration featured a guest list including Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Barbra Streisand, and Mick Jagger.
Sánchez wore a custom Dolce & Gabbana gown inspired by Sophia Loren’s wedding dress from the 1958 film “Houseboat.” The dress required 900 hours of handwork and featured a high neckline, corset and hand-appliquéd lace. Bezos opted for a classic black tuxedo for the ceremony.
The couple’s relationship became public in 2019, and they have been open about their shared fitness routines. Sánchez told The Wall Street Journal in December 2023 that Bezos “stole” her trainer, Wesley Okerson, who has worked with celebrities including Tom Cruise, Gerard Butler and Sacha Baron Cohen.
“Jeff is extremely dedicated to his workouts,” Sánchez said. “I mean, you have no idea. He really puts in the work.”
She later told Vogue that “we cannot do the same exercises. He’s on a whole different level than I am. He is a monster in the gym.”
Bezos’s physical evolution became a topic of public discussion in 2023 when he appeared on the cover of Vogue displaying a notably more muscular physique. Sánchez also revealed that the couple maintains a strict sleep schedule, going to bed at 9:30 p.m. after watching television together.
Sánchez was previously married to talent agent Patrick Whitesell from 2005 to 2019. She has three children: Nikko Gonzalez with ex-boyfriend Tony Gonzalez, and Evan and Ella Whitesell from her marriage to Whitesell. Bezos has four children with his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, though they have remained largely out of the public eye.
The wedding ceremony included Sánchez’s three children, though it remains unclear whether Bezos’s children attended the Venice celebration. The couple’s relationship began while both were married to other people, leading to Bezos’ divorce from Scott in 2019.
Recent public appearances have shown the couple continuing to make bold fashion choices. On July 8, just two days before the Sun Valley appearance, Sánchez was photographed in Paris wearing a striking red latex dress alongside model Brooks Nader, Parade reports.
The Allen & Company conference, where Bezos debuted his new look, is known as “summer camp for billionaires.”
According to the Observer, the annual gathering at the Sun Valley Resort has historically been where major media deals are discussed and finalized, including Disney’s acquisition of ABC and Comcast’s purchase of NBCUniversal.
Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021 but remains executive chairman of the company he founded in 1994. His current net worth is estimated at over $170 billion, making him one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
‘Once You Get the Ring on Her Finger, You Stop Trying’: Jeff Bezos Shocks Fans, Ditches Signature Look Weeks After Marrying Lauren Sánchez