Leonard Lauder's Children Grew up Around Beauty and Took Over the Family Business

The world-renowned Estée Lauder cosmetic company was founded in 1946, but it really began when Estée Mentzer, who was born in 1908, was just a girl. According to the company's website, her love of beauty was taken to a new level thanks to an uncle who happened to be a chemist. They started making skin creams in the family's kitchen. In 1930, she married Joseph Lauder, and 16 years later, they officially launched their company.

Estée and Joseph had two sons, who followed in their family's aesthetic footsteps. They were born more than a decade apart, which means running the company fell to the oldest boy, Leonard Lauder, who started working there in 1958 at the age of 25. Leonard was instrumental in acquiring other brands and started the company's first research and development lab. By the time he died in June 2025, his children were in charge. Here's what we know.

Leonard was president of the Estée Lauder company from 1972 until 1995. He also served as Chief Executive Officer from 1982 to 1999, when he retired. Despite stepping down, Leonard remained Chairman of the Board until 2009 when he was appointed Chairman Emeritus. In August 2023, Leonard announced he would not stand for re-election, per a press release from Estée Lauder. At the time, his son William was the Executive Chairman. Leonard then nominated his other son, Gary, to serve on the Board.

"My father envisioned and helped drive the growth and expansion of our Company from an iconic single brand to the global, brand-building powerhouse it is today," said William. "We’ve never wavered from his vision of being a home for the best brands and best people, all of whom are united in delivering high-quality, prestige beauty products and high-touch service and experiences, while maintaining our unique, values-driven culture."

Outside of the family business, Gary and his wife, Laura, run a nonprofit called the Laura and Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund. The nonprofit is "informed by ancient Jewish teachings and rooted in the mitzvah of tzedakah — righteous giving — while attempting to catalyze progress." William took up a cause near and dear to his mother's heart: breast cancer research. Evelyn Lauder has been credited with creating the pink ribbon, which raises awareness about the devastating illness.

Evelyn Lauder was good friends with Alexandra Penney, the editor-in-chief of SELF magazine from 1989 until 1994. Alexandra succeeded Phylis Starr, who died of breast cancer in August 1988. In September 1991, The New York Times spoke with Alexandra and Evelyn, who was a breast cancer survivor, about a groundbreaking issue of the magazine.

"I told Alexandra I was really annoyed about how negative everything written about breast cancer is," said Evelyn, who was a member of the board of overseers at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. "There is no publication that ever does anything reassuring, that tells you there is a lot of help, a lot of nurturing, support, and often cure." Alexandra decided it was up to them to spread awareness about breast cancer.

The October 1991 issue of SELF included a "comprehensive and pragmatic report containing articles, photographs, diagrams, and recommendations that will be reprinted by Conde Nast and distributed nationwide by the American Cancer Society." In 1994, the dynamic duo of Alexandra and Evelyn founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Evelyn died in November 2011 from non-genetic ovarian cancer, per NPR. Leonard married photographer Judy Glickman four years later.