If you were alive and breathing in 2002, you probably remember the sheer aesthetic power of Adriana Lima and Lenny Kravitz. It was a different era. Low-rise jeans were everywhere, and the internet didn't have TikTok to dissect every breath a celebrity took. Yet, even without the 24-hour social media cycle, people were obsessed. It was the ultimate rock-and-roll fantasy: the world’s most soulful guitar god and the rising queen of the Victoria's Secret runway.
Most people today actually forget they were a thing. They weren't just a "thing," though. They were engaged.
Honestly, looking back at the timeline, it feels like a fever dream. Lenny was coming off the massive success of his Greatest Hits album, and Adriana was basically the face of the new millennium. When they started dating in 2001, the chemistry was so loud you could practically hear it through the paparazzi photos.
The Music Video That Started It All
It’s a classic trope, isn't it? Musician meets model on a set. In this case, the set was for the music video "Yesterday Is Gone (My Dear Kay)." If you watch it now, Adriana is only in it for a few seconds, but those seconds were heavy.
They didn't just date; they lived together almost immediately. This wasn't a casual "see you at the club" situation. By 2002, Lenny had popped the question.
There’s this wild story from back then that perfectly captures the "rich and famous" chaos of their lives. Adriana was doing a shoot for Harper’s Bazaar with stylist Katie Grand. She had this massive diamond piercing in her belly button—a gift from Lenny. To get the shot, she took it out, wrapped it in some tissue, and handed it to the crew.
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Someone accidentally threw it away.
Think about that for a second. A diamond from Lenny Kravitz, just tossed in the bin with some half-eaten catering. It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about the world they were moving in. High stakes, high glamour, and occasionally, high tragedy.
Why Adriana Lima and Lenny Kravitz Didn't Make It
So, what went wrong? Why didn't we get the most genetically blessed wedding of the decade?
The engagement was called off in August 2003. Like most celebrity splits from that era, the "official" reasons were vague. Publicists gave the standard "busy schedules" and "mutual respect" lines. But if you look at Lenny’s later interviews, a clearer picture emerges.
Lenny has been pretty open about his struggles with commitment after his divorce from Lisa Bonet. In a profile with Esquire, he admitted that he’s "put some people through some hard times." He struggled with infidelity and the pressure of being, well, Lenny Kravitz.
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- Timeline of the Romance:
- 2001: They start dating after meeting through the industry.
- 2002: Adriana appears in his music video; they move in together and get engaged.
- Early 2003: Rumors of friction begin as Lenny travels for his Lenny world tour.
- August 2003: The engagement is officially over.
There’s also the Adriana factor. At the time, she was famously outspoken about her personal beliefs. In a 2006 interview with GQ, she famously stated that "sex is for after marriage." While she didn't explicitly link this to her breakup with Lenny, it’s not hard to imagine the friction that might cause for a rock star living on the road in his prime.
The Aftermath and Modern Context
After the split, both moved on to other high-profile lives. Adriana eventually married NBA player Marko Jarić, and Lenny had a well-documented romance with Nicole Kidman (another one people forget!).
But the Adriana Lima and Lenny Kravitz era remains a specific cultural touchstone. It represents that transition from 90s grit to 2000s super-glam. They were the bridge between the two.
Today, Lenny is seen as the ultimate cool dad, often hanging out with his ex-wife Lisa Bonet and her former partner Jason Momoa. He’s evolved. He’s admitted he wasn't always the best partner back then. He was "trying to find himself" while being one of the most famous men on the planet.
Adriana, meanwhile, became the longest-running Victoria's Secret Angel in history. She’s a legend in her own right.
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What You Can Learn From Their Story
It’s easy to look at photos of them and think it was perfect. They looked perfect. But behind the diamonds and the music videos, they were dealing with the same stuff everyone else does—just with more cameras.
If you're looking for the "lesson" here, it's basically that chemistry isn't the same thing as compatibility. You can be the two most beautiful people in the world, you can live in a mansion together, and you can give each other diamonds that get thrown in the trash, but if the timing or the personal values don't align, it's not going to stick.
Next Steps for the Super-Fan:
- Go back and watch the "Yesterday Is Gone (My Dear Kay)" video. See if you can spot those few seconds of Adriana.
- Check out Lenny's 2024 interviews where he talks about his "celibacy journey." It puts his early 2000s relationships into a whole new light.
- Look for the Harper's Bazaar shoot from 2002—the one where the diamond went missing. The photos are still some of the best of that decade.
The story of Lenny and Adriana isn't a tragedy. It’s just a chapter. A very, very well-dressed chapter.