By: Jerome Brookshire

Leonard A. Lauder, the son of cosmetics pioneers Estée and Joseph Lauder and the architect of one of the most iconic luxury beauty empires in modern history, has died at the age of 92. His passing was confirmed Sunday by The Estée Lauder Companies, where he served for decades as CEO and later chairman emeritus.

As reported by The New York Post, Leonard Lauder’s legacy extends far beyond the gilded mirrors of the beauty counters that bear his family’s name. He was a Manhattan-born titan of industry, an indefatigable patron of the arts, and a philanthropist whose influence helped shape New York City’s cultural and civic landscape.

“He was the most charitable man I have ever known,” said his son William Lauder, executive chairman of the Estée Lauder Companies, in a moving statement. “He believed that art and education belonged to everyone and championed the fight against diseases such as Alzheimer’s and breast cancer. Above all, my father was a man who practiced kindness with everyone he met.”

Leonard Lauder’s ascent began in 1958, when he joined the fledgling family firm. At the time, Estée Lauder was a modest operation with just a handful of beauty products available at select U.S. department stores. As The New York Post report noted, under Leonard’s stewardship, the company underwent a radical transformation, becoming a global behemoth and a cornerstone of prestige cosmetics.

Among his many innovations was the launch of enduring sub-brands such as Clinique, Aramis, and Lab Series, each redefining categories within the industry. His business acumen culminated in the company’s initial public offering in 1995–an inflection point that helped cement Estée Lauder as a fixture of the international luxury market. At the time of his death, the company was valued at $15.6 billion and ranked as the world’s third-largest cosmetics conglomerate, following L’Oréal and Unilever, according to industry journal Women’s Wear Daily.

Though Forbes estimated Leonard’s personal fortune at $9.7 billion, he was famously ambivalent about wealth. “Money doesn’t drive me,” he once said. “What drives me is to see that this great company continues its inexorable march to becoming the greatest company in the world. Not the largest, but the greatest.”

Leonard stepped down from the board only in August 2023, at the age of 90–an astonishing testament to his enduring devotion to the brand his parents began building in their New York kitchen.

While Leonard Lauder’s business accomplishments were vast, his philanthropic pursuits further distinguished him as a man of rare cultural vision. He was a transformative donor to institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, two landmarks of the New York City cultural world that owe much to his generosity.

In 2013, he stunned the art world by donating his renowned Cubist art collection to the Met. Comprising 81 works from luminaries like Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, and Fernand Léger, the gift spurred the creation of the Leonard A. Lauder Research Center for Modern Art. “I wanted to transform the Met,” Lauder explained at the time, calling it an act rooted in his “love of art and my love of New York.”

Lauder also played a pivotal role in the evolution of the Whitney, joining its acquisitions board in 1971 before eventually serving as president and later chairman. His landmark $131 million endowment to the institution remains one of the largest in its history.

As The New York Post report emphasized, Lauder’s impact on the arts mirrored his leadership in the corporate sphere: methodical, forward-looking, and fueled by a deep commitment to legacy and public access.

Born in 1932 and raised on the Upper West Side, Leonard Lauder was a proud alumnus of the Bronx High School of Science and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He also served as a Navy lieutenant before joining the family business.

He married Evelyn Lauder in 1959, and together they became a philanthropic force, particularly in breast cancer awareness and research. Evelyn passed away in 2011, and Leonard later married photographer Judy Glickman in 2015.

He is survived by Judy, and his sons William and Gary, the latter managing director of Lauder Partners LLC.

“He believed that employees were the heart and soul of our company,” William Lauder said, as was reported by the New York Post. “His warmth and thoughtfulness made an imprint on our company, the industry, and, of course, our family.”

Among those inspired by Lauder’s leadership was fashion designer Ralph Lauren, who once remarked, “He was always there for me. He is a man of honor, a man of integrity, a man of great energy and passion.”

Leonard Lauder’s passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in American business and philanthropy. As The New York Post aptly stated in its coverage, he was not only the steward of a legendary cosmetics empire but a visionary who saw beauty in both people and possibilities. From the boardroom to the museum hall, his fingerprints are everywhere.

In an age of fleeting fame and disposable ambition, Leonard Lauder stood as a model of permanence, purpose, and profound generosity. His vision helped sculpt the face of modern beauty–but it is the city he loved, and the causes he championed, that bear his most enduring legacy.