Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, born on April 23, 1970, is a prominent heiress and businesswoman, part of the legendary family that founded The Estée Lauder Companies. She is the granddaughter of the namesake founder, Estée Lauder, a genuine trailblazer who built the cosmetics empire from scratch starting in 1946.

Her father, Ronald Lauder, served as the U.S. Ambassador to Austria and is the president of the World Jewish Congress. Growing up in this environment of immense wealth, diplomacy, and creativity, Aerin’s passion for design was cultivated early; she has cited her childhood obsession with constantly decorating and changing the rooms of her dollhouse. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and later studied at the Annenberg School for Communication. Her career immersion began young, working for various family brands, including Clinique and Prescriptives, throughout her university years.

Aerin Lauder’s career trajectory is a perfect blend of honoring family heritage and asserting her own creative identity. She officially began working for the family company after graduating in 1992, quickly moving into various executive roles. Her most notable position within the conglomerate was Senior Vice President and Creative Director, where she was responsible for translating the Estée Lauder brand’s heritage into a modern context.

The defining chapter of her career came in 2012 with the launch of her eponymous brand, AERIN, a luxury lifestyle brand designed as an extension of her personal taste and philosophy. The brand was conceived based on her realization that 'beauty and home should live together' for the modern woman. While building the AERIN brand, she consciously maintained her critical role at the family company, where she currently holds the influential position of Style and Image Director for The Estée Lauder Companies.

Aerin Lauder’s social impact is channeled through the long-standing, major foundations associated with her family and through her own brand’s aligned initiatives. The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation (ELCCF) and the famous Breast Cancer Campaign (BCC), founded by her late aunt Evelyn H. Lauder, have collectively funded over $108 million for lifesaving research globally.

Aerin personally integrates philanthropy with her brand identity. In celebration of International Women’s Day, her brand, AERIN Beauty, partnered with the philanthropic gifting platform 'Double Dutch' to support Every Mother Counts. This reflects her belief in causes dedicated to women’s health and well-being, stating that supporting safe pregnancy and childbirth is 'personal' to her as a mother. Furthermore, she maintains a strong presence on the board of family entities like the 'World Jewish Congress' through her father's involvement.

Aerin Lauder is an American style icon whose lifestyle is the literal embodiment of her brand’s philosophy: that 'living beautifully should be effortless'. Her aesthetic is classic, feminine, and always sophisticated, defining the modern, understated elegance of a New York high-society matriarch.

Her fashion choices are classic and refined; she believes in dressing nicely for work and embracing comfort, often pairing jeans with a blazer and jewelry. Her luxury portfolio includes multiple homes, notably in New York City, East Hampton, and Aspen. The AERIN brand itself is an extension of her personal passions—art, travel, beautiful interiors—which she curates for a global audience. For Aerin, 'luxury is anything that feels special,' meaning it can be a beautiful picture frame or a special fragrance, reflecting her appreciation for refined, accessible elegance rather than just overt opulence.