In Memoriam: A Tribute to Evelyn Lauder of The Estee Lauder Companies

The passing of Evelyn Lauder (1936-2011) was mourned not only by her colleagues at Estee Lauder, but with a landmark tribute as well. The Empire State Building was lit a soft pink to celebrate her efforts for women with breast cancer.

Evelyn Lauder died November 12, 2011, in New York City, with her family by her side. Caring, passionate and a relentless activist, the former Senior Corporate Vice President and Head of Fragrance Development Worldwide ended her beautiful days as a result of complications of non-genetic ovarian cancer.

Speaking for the Company, President and Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Freda said, “Evelyn embodied the heart and soul of the Estée Lauder Companies. She was one of the pivotal architects of our vision, values, and culture. She was dynamic, creative, smart, endearingly warm, generous, and incredibly gifted at connecting with people. Her enthusiasm was contagious.”

Lauder began her creative and iconic journey at the Estee Lauder companies in what became Clinique, in 1968, and wore the first white lab coat after she became the brand’s first Training Director. In 1989, she became the Head of Fragrance Development world wide, and soon led the Company to some of its most successful fragrances, including Beautiful and Pleasures.

The constant, energetic philanthropist, Lauder did everything she could to bring global awareness to the burgeoning but important field of women’s health –and in particular, breast cancer. She co-created the Pink Ribbon in 1992 which is now recognized as the universal symbol of Breast Cancer Awareness month. What’s more, she founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) that has raised more than $350 million to date to benefit breast cancer research.

Her passion, enthusiasm, unwavering dedication to women’s health and beauty will be universally mourned.

BeautyStat salutes the work of this gentle, compassionate yet determined visionary. RIP.

– Charu Suri

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