Leonard Lauder discusses his life in beauty, his passion for collecting and his love of Palm Beach at the Society of the Four Arts. Christine Schott shares this and more TODAY on Palm Beach Social Diary.

Last week, George Ledes had the pleasure of interviewing Leonard Lauder about his memoir, The Company I Keep,My Life in Beauty, at the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach. Having grown up in the beauty business, George thought he knew Mr. Lauder pretty well. But in reading the book, George came to see him in a new light — through the prism of collecting. While most boys of his era collected baseball cards, young Leonard — inspired by the art deco hotels he and his mother discovered while living in Miami in the 1940s — began collecting postcards.

He eventually amassed a collection of more than 125,000 and donated them to a museum in Boston. And as the Estée Lauder business grew, his passion for collecting turned to art. He amassed, and eventually donated, his highly coveted Cubism collection to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. And, today, perhaps not coincidentally, The Estée Lauder Companies comprises 28 different companies — the newest of which, Deciem, will receive a $1 billion investment over the next three years!

But it is not just his success in growing the relatively small beauty company his mother started in the family kitchen into the global powerhouse it is today, but his incredible generosity and genuine concern he shows for humankind that is remarkable. The philanthropic work the Lauder family has done is second to none, not only in the Arts, but in the fight against cancer through BCRF (Breast Cancer Research Foundation), founded by Leonard's late wife Evelyn Lauder; Alzheimer's Disease, and HIV/AIDS through the M.A.C. Cosmetics VIVA GLAM campaign, to name a few.

In the interview, Mr. Lauder not only discusses his "life in beauty", his passion for art, and his love of Palm Beach, which he calls "his soul," but his love for the Society of the Four Arts, too! If you haven't visited its beautiful garden or participated in any of its programs — either in person, or virtually — you should! In the meantime, enjoy the interview, or better yet, read the book! It's available on Amazon, or at the Classic Bookshop in Palm Beach on South County.

Another friend, Audrey Gruss, also deserves accolades for the incredible strides she has made in raising awareness and funds in the area of mental health through the Hope for Depression Research Foundation and its annual Race of Hope which took place both physically and virtually here in Palm Beach and across the country. The event raised more than $350K towards cutting edge research into the origins, diagnosis, treatment and preventions of depression and its related mood and other emotional disorders. But overall, the organization she founded in memory of her mother Hope has raised millions of dollars since its inception in 2006 towards this important and especially pertinent cause.

These are just two of the numerous live and virtual events that took place here in Palm Beach last week, including the Everglades Foundation's annual benefit, a benefit for emerging artists at the new Cavalier Gallery on Worth Avenue and a store opening for Gil Walsh Interiors. It's wonderful to see the unexpected upside of hosting virtual events in that philanthropic Palm Beachers are able to share their events to a wider audience of people.

2021 WINTER RACE OF HOPE — Audrey Gruss and Scott Snyder serve as co-marshals and raise more than $350,000 for depression research.

Hope Candles and Fragrance. Available at Bergdorf Goodman.

Gil Walsh Interiors Pops up on Worth Avenue.

Palm Beachers — including Jack Lynch and Stephanie & Jim Loeffler — come together, virtually, to raise funds for the Everglades Foundation.

Alvin Valley and Cavalier Galleries Host a Private Dinner to Benefit Emerging Artists.

La Clara Palm Beach - Click HEREto learn more

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