Kim Kardashian and Lauren Sánchez Engage in Bidding War at Kering Foundation’s Annual Dinner

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and media personality Lauren Sánchez were at the center of a high-powered bidding war during the Kering Foundation’s third annual Caring for Women dinner in New York.

The two influential figures vied for a coveted “Balenciaga Couture experience,” resulting in a dramatic and friendly exchange to raise funds for the foundation.

Sánchez were bidding on the same lot at a NYFW gala.kimkardashian/Instagram

According to sources, Kardashian and Sánchez bantered back and forth as they competed to outbid each other, with both keen on acquiring the exclusive fashion experience. As the bidding escalated, another participant also entered the fray, pushing the price to an impressive $175,000.

However, in a surprise twist, Balenciaga intervened and allowed all three bidders to secure the experience for $175,000 each, raising a total of $525,000 for the Kering Foundation.

The experience, described as “an exclusive opportunity accessible to few,” allows the winners to select a piece from the prestigious Balenciaga Couture Collections presented in Paris. For the fashion-curious, “couture” refers to custom-made clothing tailored to a client’s specific measurements.

Balenciaga provided further details in the event program, describing couture as “a timeless and pure expression of craft, providing an architecture to the silhouette that gives the wearer the strongest notion of elegance and sophistication.”

This is not the first time Kardashian, 43, and Sánchez, 54, have clashed over fashion. At last year’s event, they also bid on the same couture lot, and both emerged victorious.

The star-studded dinner, co-hosted by Kardashian, Salma Hayek, Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, and actor Matthew McConaughey with his wife Camila Alves, drew a host of high-profile attendees.

Celebrities such as Gayle King (who emceed the event), Sánchez’s fiancé Jeff Bezos, Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, Lindsay Lohan, Dakota Johnson, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, and Kerry Washington were all in attendance. Other notable guests included artist Urs Fischer, designer Donatella Versace, and actress Naomi Watts.

Kering, the luxury fashion giant behind brands such as Gucci, Brioni, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, and Alexander McQueen, launched its foundation in 2008 with the mission to combat gender-based violence and child abuse.

The foundation focuses on supporting local organizations that provide services to survivors, fostering safe workplaces, and advocating for societal change to break the cycle of intergenerational violence.

The annual Caring for Women dinner has successfully raised millions for organizations like the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Girl Effect, and It’s On Us. This year’s bidding war alone contributed to the foundation’s ongoing efforts to support women and children affected by violence.