I’m sure she was a wonderful woman and I’m saddened by her passing, but like in the case of Gianni Versace, I am made aware for the first time by Estee Lauder's death that the brand is named after an actual person.
Posted by Stephen Silver at April 26, 2004 07:21 PMI was amused to learn the story of her evolving name... born in Queens as "Josephine Esther Mentzer," later nicknamed "Esty Mentzer," which became "Estee Mentzer" on account of a school official's misspelling, then "Estee Lauter" and finally "Estee Lauder." Sounds like she had a bottomless capacity for reinvention.
Posted by: Joe at April 27, 2004 02:03 PMI can also add a coda re. Versace... I remember I was at work when I heard he'd been shot, and several of the women in the office were in hysterics - "Agh, Versace is dead!" - and my response was, "Who the hell is Versace?"
Posted by: Joe at April 27, 2004 02:05 PM