Neiman Marcus will honor Leonard A. Lauder with its 2024 Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion.
Lauder, the chairman emeritus of the Estée Lauder Cos., personifies the spirit of the honor, said Neiman Marcus chief executive officer Geoffroy van Raemdonck.
“Leonard Lauder took a family business and grew it to be a global leader in beauty and innovation,” said van Raemdonck. “That is his great achievement — but beyond his achievement is how he did it. This business is all about relationships, how you care, respect and delight customers,” he continued, “and how you motivate the teams to always do their best.
“Leonard’s how is equally as impressive as what he has done.”
Leonard Lauder is not the first family member to receive the award — his mother, Estée, was honored by Stanley Marcus in 1962.
Stanley Marcus honoring Estée Lauder in 1962.
“It is a great honor to receive the same award my mother did. This award was something she cherished and I will cherish it also,” said Lauder.
The Estée Lauder Cos. and Neiman Marcus have a long and storied relationship. It was one of the early retailers of the Estée Lauder line, was the exclusive retailer for Tom Ford Beauty in the U.S. upon its launch, and today counts a number of Estée Lauder Cos. brands among its assortment, including La Mer, Jo Malone, Aerin and By Killian. Leonard Lauder remembered visiting the Commerce Street store in Dallas so often that he would enter through the employee entrance.
“I’d wave to them and they’d all wave back,” he said. “I felt like I worked there, and they felt like I worked there also.”
He also recalled a dinner with Stanley Marcus shortly after he married his late wife, Evelyn. “It was a great honor and so memorable to me,” said Lauder. “I’ve always said that relationships are the foundation of success. Neiman Marcus was a critical part of my coming of age in New York and at the company, but Neiman Marcus has also been an essential part of the cosmetics industry in the U.S.”
The close relationship continues to this day. Most recently, Neiman’s was the exclusive retailer for the launch of Balmain Beauty, Lauder’s latest foray into luxury fragrance.
“Over the last 60 years, we have built an incredibly strong business foundation together, as Leonard Lauder was focused on refining the luxury positioning of the Estée Lauder Cos. and building brands that have become incredible icons,” said Lana Todorovich, chief merchandising officer. “Beauty has become a foundational block of our business and our relationship with clients. We help clients build their fragrance and beauty wardrobe, just as they build a luxury fashion wardrobe.”
Neiman Marcus has honored more than 150 leaders over the award’s 86-year history, but the only other multigenerational winners are the Ferragamo family — founder Salvatore won in 1947, followed by his daughter, Fiamma, in 1967.
Van Raemdonck said Leonard Lauder was chosen this year because of his long-term impact on the business, and the continuing relevance of the values he championed. “What works now in the luxury business is brands that are very congruent to who they are and who are focused on building relationships with customers,” he said. “The message we recognize by honoring Leonard Lauder is exactly that — it is staying true to your values, being innovative and focusing on relationships.
The ceremony will be held on Nov. 13 in New York City, and the Lauder company will be invited to create an exclusive activation especially for Neiman Marcus customers, to launch in the next six to eight months. Last year’s honoree, Brunello Cucinelli, created two special collections exclusively for the retailer: one based on Hollywood glamour and the other on classic American staples. “We think of this as a gift to our customers,” said van Raemdonck, “a way to give them access to the recipient.”
That spirit of giving is one that permeates the Estée Lauder Cos., too. “Philanthropy is ingrained in our company,” said Lauder. “I’m so appreciative that awards like this represent the values that we have worked so hard to instill at the Estée Lauder Cos. — community and helping others.”
