Leading Ladies - Evelyn Lauder (1936-2011)


Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Who better to know that than Evelyn Lauder - business woman, author, activist, and artist. I first met Ms. Lauder while I was working at Seattle-based fashion retailer, Nordstrom, Inc. in my Sustainable Business & Development position. She was traveling with her husband, Leonard Lauder (who you may see in our "Leading Men" category soon), speaking on the latest products from Estee Lauder and raising money and awareness for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Two things about Ms. Lauder surprised and impressed me. First, she dovoted a good 20 minutes of her presentation to the environmental links to breast cancer. Second, she presented her book of nature photographs called An Eye for Beauty. The photographs are truly stunning. It's good to know someone of Ms. Lauder's position not only found beauty and inspiration in nature but also understood key elements of the environmental challenges facing our world.