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- [00:00]
Erin Lauder
Not everything has to be a big arrangement of flowers. One beautiful flower can be just as special as a huge arrangement. There's many people that I am very much inspired by. Sometimes we'll do one beautiful flower in a bud vase, on a desk or on a table and it actually is just as impactful as a big arrangement.
- [00:19]
Dan Rubenstein
Hi, I'm Dan Rubenstein and this is the Grand Tourist. I've been a design journalist for more than 20 years and this is my personalized guided tour through the worlds of fashion, art, architecture, food and travel. The elements of a well lived life. This week is at most American of Holidays July 4th. And to me, my guest today exemplifies American style and tradition in a way few others can. Through her products, books and storied family heritage, she's a north star of east coast classic elegance that's hardwired into our country's DNA. Erin Lauder. Erin grew up in one of the most powerful and influential families of the post war age. Her grandmother was none other than Estee Lauder, the first generation American woman who founded the now famous Estee lauder companies in 1946, which has gone on to become today a mammoth multi billion dollar powerhouse. As you'll learn later, Estee didn't just influence American style and the beauty habits of the modern American woman, but she influenced Erin as well. Erin herself worked at the family company and is still heavily involved today. I first met Erin about a dozen or so years ago when she launched her own home beauty and lifestyle brand, aar, which has steadily grown since. Above it all, her core contributions to American style, in my opinion, are her numerous bestselling books where she personally styles her world, codifying great American taste in print. Her latest is Erin Living with Flowers, a topic heavily inspired by her legendary grandmother's love of all things in bloom. I caught up with Erin from her home in New York to discuss growing up in the Lauder household, learning the ropes of the family business from the inside, how to fill our lives with a little bit of beauty and grace with flowers and the one bit of 21st century style Estee would simply not allow. So congratulations on the success of your new book and I saw that it was shot to number one in its category on Amazon, which is always a huge marker of success. But of course, all of these instincts start with your upbringing and your earlier life and so especially in what you do. So I was wondering if you could tell me about like some of your earliest memories in life.
- [02:31]
Erin Lauder
Well, probably my earliest memory of my grandmother was her scent and you know, she was such an incredible role model and mentor and grandmother. And, you know, she worked on the beautiful fragrance for many, many years, and Bulgarian Rose was one of her most favorite notes. So I think when I think of Esti, I always think of her, you know, beautiful scent, the rose notes. You know, she would come into the car and the whole car would fill with her fragrance. And, you know, so I think she was very much a very important part of my life. And the combination of her and my mother really helped me to love home elements. All things beautiful. The idea of effortless style, attention to detail. And Esti used to have this wonderful quote that said, everything can be beautiful if you take the time. And I think that's so important, and I really believe in that, and I think about that every day. And I dedicated the book, actually, to my mother because she really was also the one that taught me to love flowers and nature at a very young. And there's this wonderful story where she would give little potted geraniums as party favors at my birthdays. And at the time, I was, you know, a little bit annoyed because I wanted it to be, you know, a little bag of candy and treats. But looking back on that, she was so modern and so ahead of her time and so. Right. Because she would say that these little potted geraniums would last a very, very long time. And they did.
- [03:53]
Dan Rubenstein
And they would butter up the parents, too, which I'm assuming.
- [03:56]
Erin Lauder
And they would butter up the parents. Exactly. And make the table pretty.
- [03:58]
Dan Rubenstein
Exactly.
- [03:59]
Erin Lauder
And it's funny because just the other day, I was in Palm beach for a beautiful evening, a dinner dance, and on the table were potted geranium. So it was actually kind of interesting because it's still something that I think people love to do, and I think it's beautiful, and it creates a wonderful presence.
- [04:15]
Dan Rubenstein
And, you know, for the totally uninitiated, can you walk us through, like, sort of how and where you were raised and sort of that impact of your grandmother and kind of, you know, I would love to just kind of like, what your childhood was like, you know, was it a strict one? Like, tell me about it.
- [04:31]
Erin Lauder
My childhood was quite strict and very traditional. I was raised in New York City. I have a younger sister, and we were very, very close family. We would have dinner with my grandparents every Friday night. And they were very important part of my life. We would spend most holidays with them. And, you know, my mother has very traditional values, and we're very family oriented. And a lot of the things I've Learned from my parents, my grandparents. I applied today to my par and my time with my family, you know, family time to me is the most important. I always make my family a priority, no matter what I'm doing or where I am.
- [05:07]
Dan Rubenstein
Did you ever, like, maybe did your grandmother. Did you ever go to stay with her away from your parents, where it was kind of like, I had that with my grandmother, but I was wondering if you ever had that with.
- [05:16]
Erin Lauder
Esti was a really extraordinary grandmother. I mean, we called her Esti because she didn't want to be called grandma Esti, but we always called her Esti. But she was warm, she was inviting, she was fun. She loved life. You know, she loved chocolates. There's many things about Essie that people didn't know, but one thing was that she adored chocolate. And she would always have these little refrigerators in her sitting rooms full of Godiva boxes of chocolate. And she would say, take one, take two, take three. Try as many as you want. As opposed to other grandmothers that might say, just take one piece of chocolate. Estee was always about more is more. And, you know, there's a very famous picture of me sitting with her at the Plaza hotel in New York City. And I have a huge smile on my face. And I remember that day because we used to go for tea together, and she would let me pick two desserts. It's not one, but two. And that was very much Esti's philosophy on life. You know, enjoying, embracing the moment, enjoying the moment, enjoying life, people, food. And, you know, when I did my book on entertaining, there was a great quote that she would say, a party is a gift you give your friends. And that was very much her philosophy about life, business, and entertaining.
- [06:23]
Dan Rubenstein
And did you ever, you know, as a kid, did you ever see her interact, you know, with other adults and kind of observe anything in terms of kind of gauging her personality as a separate individual, not just as a family member.
- [06:33]
Erin Lauder
I mean, Esti was a very creative businesswoman. So at a young age, I would go with her to different stores and counters. She loved to look at the windows at Saks at Christmas time. We would. Whenever we were traveling anywhere, she would always visit the Estee Lauder counter. She loved talking to customers. She was known for doing makeovers on anyone, whether it was a teacher, a friend, someone in the store. She was very hands on. And she was always talking about touching the customer. And that's something that we still, you know, at Estee Lauder applied to training every day. It's all about communicating and connecting with the customer.
- [07:08]
Dan Rubenstein
So she was kind of an on the ground person in that world, right? Very much. She was very hands on, very, you.
- [07:13]
Erin Lauder
Know, very creative, very hands on. I mean, there's so many wonderful stories about her. There was this one story where she would go to this hairdresser where women were trapped under the dryer. And she started her brand in 1946. So a few years later, she would go to these hairdressers and basically put product on these women who were trapped under the hairdryer. So they would try her creams and her, you know, beautiful fragrances and end up purchasing them because they were, you know, a captive audience. And it was so clever. And she created gift with purchase because she used to say, no matter who you are, every woman loves a little gift. And that's a concept that I think is really so. It's. It's so modern, and it was so.
- [07:54]
Dan Rubenstein
She was the first one to do that.
- [07:56]
Erin Lauder
She did it. She was a brilliant marketer, as I said, and she created gift with purchase. And she basically said, no matter who you are, you always want a little gift. Everyone loves a gift. And today, when people leave our stores or visit our website, they always get a little fragrance sample. They always get a little something from us as well. And I think that's something that's very important, and it's so true.
- [08:16]
Dan Rubenstein
Oh, what a nice something I never knew. And, you know, for a lot of us, you know, some of our more formative experiences come from, you know, when you're family or parents entertain, as I know who we've mentioned already. But is there a particular meal or an event, you know, as a young girl that maybe made you very. That was very impactful in your memory in terms of, like, something very special that happened?
- [08:44]
Erin Lauder
Well, I have to say I think my wedding day was interesting because I remember, you know, I got married almost 30 years ago and, you know, registering and picking the dress and the hair and the makeup, and I think about all these elements and today launching a lifestyle brand. Many of these elements that, you know, I registered for or I learned in preparation for my wedding is something I still think about all the time. And, you know, as we were developing our collection of products, you know, the white chagrin that we have in our home line is the perfect wedding gift. So I think that there were lots of memories of that special day. You know, even, for example, with fragrance, you know, coming out with a book called Living with Flowers and all the symbolism of flowers. I carried a lily of the valley Bouquet and wore white gardenias in my hair. And some of those memories, those scents, those fragrances of those flowers were something that I still think about that special day. And, you know, we have about 24 fragrances in our beauty brand, and all of them have different memories associated with them and flowers.
- [09:46]
Dan Rubenstein
And, you know, I read as a teen, you had a job working like a. You know, working at MoMA, and I know your family's donated to the institution over the years. And I was kind of wondering, like, what was that experience like? Because I think you did it in high school and also a little bit in college. And, you know, if you're on the east side of Manhattan, so you. Maybe you even walked to the MoMA at the time.
- [10:05]
Erin Lauder
And I did walk to MoMA. I love museums. You know, I'm always using them as a source of inspiration. I love to see different exhibitions, permanent collections, gift stores, I think are full of wonderful ideas as well. And one summer before I graduated from high school, I worked at the Museum of Modern Art in the archive section. And that was great because I got to see and learn a lot. And then right afterwards, all through university, I worked in different brands, whether it was Clinique or Prescriptives or Estee Lauder. And that's really where I really fell in love with beauty and the beauty industry. And then when I graduated, I went to Prescriptives.
- [10:36]
Dan Rubenstein
And, you know, when you were growing up, was there any kind of, like, expectation that you were going to kind of carry on doing the family business? Or, you know, were you kind of. Did you feel anyone was trying to groom you for that, or was this something that you kind of did on your own?
- [10:51]
Erin Lauder
You know, to tell you the truth, it was interesting. My uncle always said, you know, he wanted me to go someplace else before I started the family business, because he said, once you start, you will probably end up there. And I was so excited to start. I was very much intrigued by it, and I couldn't wait. So I went right from university into the family business, which for me was the right decision. But, you know, no one ever pressured anyone to go into the business. You know, Esty used to always say, whatever you do, do it well and do it with passion, and it doesn't matter what you do, but just work hard at it. And she really, really believed strongly in that. So I think that was just more my excitement to kind of join the family business as soon as possible. But at the time, no one was putting any pressure on any of the grandchildren. And we all kind of followed Our dreams.
- [11:35]
Dan Rubenstein
Obviously, today you're still very involved in the brand and in different roles because I think as Prescriptives is no longer around and you had different roles. Tell me about your time there before we start to speak about Aaron specifically. But your time there, like, what did you learn early on and sort of, you know, about the beauty industry that maybe someone from the outside just wouldn't really realize, because obviously working on the inside for so long, you have a greater insight into the industry and how it really works.
- [12:07]
Erin Lauder
Well, Prescriptors was a great place for me to start, and that was my uncle's idea to have me start my career in beauty at the Prescriptors brand because it was a small brand, so I had the ability to work on fragrance, skincare and makeup. And so I really, really learned a tremendous amount. Whether it was marketing, product advertising, photography, it was a wonderful, wonderful experience. And Jane Huttis was the first woman that I. The first person that I worked for. And I learned a lot from her as well. And so I was there for a few years, and then from there I went to Estee Lauder. And at Estee Lauder is real, really, since it was much bigger, it's where I moved around and held different positions, whether it was advertising, marketing, product development. And then in the end, I was creative director of the Estee Lauder brand. And that's really where I was able to really shine and create beautiful, beautiful products, fragrances, solid fragrances, Christmas collections and advertising. And to me, it was, you know, the most dream job. And I'm still very, very involved with Estee Lauder. I'm style and design director for Renutra and Estee Lauder. So I play a very kind of instrumental part in shaping the brand. You know, we've just done this wonderful launch with Paulina, a relaunch with Paulina Porizkova. And I'm going to Paris with her in a few weeks to talk about Estee Laud and Skincare and tell us.
- [13:28]
Dan Rubenstein
A little bit about Prescriptives. Like, how do you describe it? Maybe someone might be listening from overseas or.
- [13:35]
Erin Lauder
Prescriptives was a brilliant concept and it was very ahead of itself. It was this kind of custom blend, makeup artist driven brand that had this incredible shade range. And we used to do this thing called custom blend where they would match your skin foundation, your foundation to your skin color. And if we didn't have the right match that already existed, we could custom blend it. And I remember once I actually did a custom blend on Margaret Thatcher. I was sitting next to her to dinner, and she was saying how she couldn't find the right foundation to match her skin. I said, oh, I know the perfect thing. I felt like I was channeling Esti at the moment, but she would have been very proud of me. So I ended up going to her hotel suite with a Prescriptives beauty advisor. We custom blended her foundation and she was over the moon that it was a perfect match. So Prescriptives was really very, very modern and ahead of its time. And the packaging was this beautiful gray, very kind of contemporary, simple packaging. The shade range was spectacular. Even the idea that the lipsticks were mini, there were so many elements about it that made it so kind of modern and as I said, ahead of itself. But it's still, and I think it is still available online, certain products. But at the time, it was really quite extraordinary and very innovative.
- [14:48]
Dan Rubenstein
And did. When you kind of moved over to the mothership, as it were, at Estee, were you kind of like trying to be more, you know, progressive or more. A little bit more younger and more kind of forward thinking because you had that time at Prescriptives?
- [15:03]
Erin Lauder
Not necessarily. Because, you know, the one thing is all the brands have different personalities and product assortment. So we really try very hard not to compete with each other. And that's something that my grandmother and my father, my uncle, really instilled in the different brands. And it was this whole idea of Clinique is very different from Estee Lauder, which is different from Prescriptives, which is different from Creme de la Mer. So when I went to Estee Lauder, it was a different point of view. It was a traditional beauty brand with a primary focus on fragrance and skin care. And there was a product called Advanced Night Repair that was launched probably in the 70s. And it was this whole concept of the serum that you would put on your skin at night, and while you slept, your skin would repair it. And then Esti said, wait a second, we should do it a.m. and p.m. people should use it twice a day because then your skin will be even that much better. So, you know, there was products within the Estee Lauder assortment that did not exist in Prescriptives and did not exist in Clinique. And that's what I thought was so exciting, was that Estee Lauder was such a incredible brand, started by such a wonderful, brilliant woman. And it was fun to go into the archives, bring certain elements back, and then obviously launch new products as well.
- [16:15]
Dan Rubenstein
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- [18:02]
Erin Lauder
Well, I launched the brand about 12 years ago and it was a very exciting time. It was scary, but also very exciting. And when I was at Estee Lauder as creative director, I was forever being asked, what is in my makeup bag? What are the items I can't live with? And I thought that there was an opportunity for a beauty lifestyle brand with a very kind of capsule edited collection of products. And you know, people were always saying you've worked with the best makeup artist. Estee was your grandmother. You have had exposure to so many different products and they wanted to know what my edit was. And at the time, our CEO said, you know, that's an interesting concept, but you have to write a business plan, present this concept of a brand, and focus group it to see if it's relevant. And what was exciting was that when we did focus group it, people really associated me with beauty, home and style. So it gave me the green light to go into these categories that I were passionate about. And I really felt that there was an opportunity for this beauty lifestyle brand based on storytelling, surprise, feminine elements. And it was really been exciting to see how it's evolved in the past 12 years. And as I said, today we have about 24 fragrances. We're in about 800 doors of distribution for beauty. And we have amazing partnerships with Williams, Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Visual Comfort, and the list goes on.
- [19:18]
Dan Rubenstein
Right. How many skus, as they say in the business, are you up to now? Do you know?
- [19:23]
Erin Lauder
We probably have a couple hundred SKUs because we have, you know, in the world of home, there's lots of multiples. You know, you've got coffee cups, plates, glasses. We've just launched a collection of charms. Beautiful, iconic, you know, hearts and circles and amazing stones and, you know, there's elements of fashion. So we have a quite broad line of skus.
- [19:46]
Dan Rubenstein
And like, when you set out to do it, you know, just on a personal level, like, why did you do it? Like, why? Why?
- [19:54]
Erin Lauder
It was really a dream. And, you know, my grandmother used to always talk about, you know, follow your dreams, work hard and success will come. And I felt that there was a real opportunity for a beauty lifestyle brand at the time. You know, lifestyle was a word that everyone was constantly talking about. You know, Ralph Lauren was traditional, Donna Karan was very Zen. Calvin Klein had this incredible lifestyle brand that was very modern, but really wasn't anyone in this kind of feminine, modern space with a heritage in storytelling. And when we first launched, the response was extraordinary. We launched with five fragrances and, you know, the fragrance category has been very successful because they have wonderful stories behind them, whether it's lilac pat, that was inspired by a lilac bush planted by my grandmother. We have something called Mediterranean Honeysuckle, which continues to be one of our best selling fragrances inspired by the Mediterranean. It's really holiday in a bottle. It's sunsh, it smells so fresh, so pretty. And every season we add a new limited edition fragrance to this collection and it continues to sell out. So I thought that there was a real opportunity for this point of view. And we've been very excited to see the extraordinary success of it.
- [21:04]
Dan Rubenstein
And it also means more visibility for you, but also kind of like a vulnerability in terms of like you talking about your home and, you know, you're inside and you, your everything about it and what really you. And not necessarily a brand that's kind of. It's scary on that level too, right?
- [21:24]
Erin Lauder
I mean, whenever you do anything creative, it's vulnerable. I mean, I think that's what also gives you the kind of fire in your stomach to drive you and make you follow your dreams. And, you know, I think you have to go with your intuition. You have to stay true to who you are, and you have to be positive. And I think, you know, it is really good to be a little scared and nervous. That's what I think make athletes succeed. I think that's what makes creative people do beautiful work. So I think that there's something very important about that.
- [21:54]
Dan Rubenstein
And you've traveled a lot in your life, and I remember there was an interview somewhere where you talked about, you know, a hotel in Paris. I think it was the Ritz that had sort of, like, really impacted you. And to me, there's something really quintessentially American about this sort of, like, Estee Lauder name and your brand. And. And, you know, now that you've had this brand for about. Just your own brand for about 12 years, what do you think you've learned about the American woman and that sort of American sensibility and how she lives today and how it's been evolving?
- [22:25]
Erin Lauder
Well, that's a great question. You know, I did. I've traveled a tremendous amount. I mean, esti would spend her summers in Europe. She was very much inspired by Europe. She was Hungarian. Her parents were Hungarian. They did not speak English well. So I spent a lot of time with her in Europe and being inspired by European products. But I am very American. Whenever I come back from a trip and I come home, I'm home. And I love very American things.
- [22:51]
Dan Rubenstein
What's the most American thing you like?
- [22:53]
Erin Lauder
Probably jeans. I love jeans. I'm always in jeans in a white shirt. One of our fragrances was even inspired by jeans in a white shirt. I love grilled cheese. I love diet coke from the fountain. I'm very, very American. And apple pie and American holidays. I love July 4th. I love Thanksg. There's so much about me that's super, super American. But I think at the same time, I've traveled a lot. I have friends from all over the world. The team at Aaron is very international, actually. Everyone's from many different places, so it's fun all working together on a collection. There's so many different points of view, but I think as an American, quality could be a sense of, I think, sportswear. And there's, you know, I think Michael Kors. When you think about certain American designers who've done kind of that luxurious sportswear really well and casual, like, you know, Michael Kors is known for these fabulous cashmere sweaters and kind of loose pants and a Flat shoe. I think that, to me, is what I define as kind of American fashion.
- [23:58]
Dan Rubenstein
And, like, what has been selling over time. Is there something that maybe in the sort of the home category that maybe has sold differently? Like, once you actually go out there and kind of put it out there and see it over time, has it kind of, like, informed you about how people, how women are shopping and how they're kind of living their lives?
- [24:16]
Erin Lauder
Well, our customer shops cross category. You know, she buys beauty from us. Fashion and home. But the interesting thing about when you look at the success of the brand and what does continuously well is our home category. Frames, games, and trays continue to always do really, really well because it really. Those elements make a home a home. You picture frame with a memory in it is a great gift. It's great to put around your home. And the idea of games and trays really make a space inviting and comfortable. So from the beginning, when we launched those categories, they continue to be some of our best sellers. And at the same time, we have fashion items such as a pouch. We're very iconic for this kind of weekender that has evolved in style, and not style, but in size. And we have a new one that we call it the Nano Weekender. And it's like this wonderful little tote bag. And it's a great price point. And it is flying out because people, it's simple, it's timeless, it's elegant, it's luxurious. It's all these different elements, but at a really nice price point. So it's a great gift. And it's a gift that you can give yourself as well.
- [25:23]
Dan Rubenstein
And, you know, you've done about three books now, I think, with actually six.
- [25:28]
Erin Lauder
I've done three with Rizzoli, but we did originally, I did three with aselene. I did something about Aspen Palm Beach. And then for The Estee Lauder 75th anniversary, I did a book about my grandmother with my sister, which was really an incredible experience because I learned a lot about Estee that I did not know. And it was fun to go into the archives and go deep into all the pictures and all the old advertising. And then I've done three with Rizzoli, Right?
- [25:53]
Dan Rubenstein
And so these three, which have done really well, you know, must have taught you something about your own brand. Cause when you actually have to go down and start writing things down, that might be kind of really making tough decisions about. These are the photos that are gonna be in the book. These are the projects that are gonna be in the book. This is, you know, you have to kind of document put on paper, you know, your thoughts and feelings in a very succinct way. So what have you learned just from the act of doing, like, these books?
- [26:21]
Erin Lauder
Well, I love doing books. I think there's something really exciting and fun and fulfilling about working on a book and then seeing the success of it. And I love when people read the book and learn something about the topic I'm discussing, whether it's entertaining or my grandmother or today just launching with flowers. And I just think there's something. Books. You know, it was funny. My son graduated from the University of Pennsylvania a few years ago, and they were saying in the graduation speech that books are probably one of the most incredible invention that man has ever done because they are so tangible. You learn from them, they're special, they're beautiful to look at. And there's something very extraordinary about a book. So for me being able to publish so many and have such wonderful partners, it's really an honor.
- [27:10]
Dan Rubenstein
Are you someone who kind of, like, sweats it over kind of any kind of monograph of this sort of nature? Are you someone who kind of, like, changes their mind and kind of goes back to the drawing board a lot? Or you're someone who.
- [27:22]
Erin Lauder
No. You know, it's funny. I'm very good at making decisions. I have a lot of people that I'm friends with who cannot make a decision. I make a decision. I don't think twice. I think I probably got that from my grandmother. She had incredible intuition. There's all these wonderful stories. We would go to a fair, and there was a bowl of jelly beans or jar of jelly beans, and you would have to guess how many jelly beans were in the jar. And esti would get 292 jelly beans, and there might have been 291. I mean, she was extraordinary. So she always taught me to follow your intuition and just don't doubt yourself.
- [27:54]
Dan Rubenstein
And the new book, Living with Flowers, sort of opens with a little bit of a scent memory of Bulgarian rose, or Adamsk rose as people might know it. Tell me about that memory.
- [28:07]
Erin Lauder
That was really esti. I mean, as I said, Bulgarian rose was her favorite note, and she loved roses. And I think that was the inspiration behind the beautiful fragrance, which continues to be one of Estee Lauder's most successful ones. It took her many, many years to complete it. So my earliest memory of my grandmother was her scent, because I. She was always working on this fragrance, wearing versions of a Bulgarian rose fragrance. So she would. As I said, she would come in the car the Whole car would smell like Bulgarian rose. I would hold her hand, my hand would smell like Bulgarian rose afterwards. So that rose scent is something that always reminds me of her and of beautiful memories. And when I launched my own brand 12 years ago, we have Rose Essentials and they are all beautiful products that still continue to be bestsellers. A lip conditioner and a hand and body cream. And those all have these beautiful notes of rose as well. And rose is an interesting symbolism because when we started doing the research for the book, white roses represent new beginnings, pink roses represent friendship, and red roses represent love. So it's interesting to see the different symbolisms of the different color roses.
- [29:15]
Dan Rubenstein
And obviously it's kind of hard to divide the concept between living with flowers from sort of decor and entertaining. But if you had sort of like three rules of thumb for flowers in the home. Like, if a friend came to you and was like, I don't know anything about flowers, I just need, I have a big party coming up and like, what do I do? And I really want to spruce up my house with flowers, like, what would you give them as like 3, 3 personalized go tos or personalized bits of advice.
- [29:42]
Erin Lauder
Okay, well, three, three points of advice about flowers could probably be, you know, pick flowers that are in season. That always makes everything easier. Sometimes too fragrant is too fragrant, especially at the dinner table. Like, that's something that people really don't enjoy eating food with, like, you know, very fragrant hyacinth or flower that's very strong. And also there's a rule that not everything has to be a big arrangement of flowers. One beautiful flower can be just as special as a huge arrangement. And I do say that in my book with many people that I am very much inspired by, sometimes will do one beautiful flower in a bud vase, on a desk or on a table. And it actually is just as impactful as a big arrangement. So those would be my three kind of rules about flowers.
- [30:25]
Dan Rubenstein
And what about yourself, like in your own home and in your own life, like, what is your, what is your, what is your relationship like with flowers?
- [30:33]
Erin Lauder
I love flowers. I mean, you know, whether it's on a wallpaper in my dining room, on, you know, a piece of clothing that I'm wearing to the office, or just actual flowers in a vase. I love plants, I love branches. I love all different typ of things.
- [30:48]
Dan Rubenstein
Is there any of all the flowers in your home, is there one that you kind of despise?
- [30:56]
Erin Lauder
Flowers that I despise?
- [30:58]
Dan Rubenstein
Yeah. Is there was just one where you're just like, I never.
- [31:00]
Erin Lauder
I actually don't love dark calla lilies. I love calla lilies, the white ones, because they really remind me of my grandmother. She wore them in her bouquet on her. On her wedding day in 1930. But a dark, dark calla lily to me always looks a little bit kind of spooky.
- [31:16]
Dan Rubenstein
I don't love.
- [31:17]
Erin Lauder
I really don't love dark, dark flowers, actually. It's funny, you know, like, almost like a black red. Always feel too dark to me. I think flowers should be pretty, and sometimes when they get too dark, they're not as pretty.
- [31:28]
Dan Rubenstein
I mean, most of your. Most of the aesthetic, both of the brand and of your own homes, and everything is always quite positive and bright, right?
- [31:35]
Erin Lauder
Exactly.
- [31:36]
Dan Rubenstein
There's no. It doesn't seem like you have a gothic bone. I don't Goth bone in your body.
- [31:41]
Erin Lauder
That I definitely don't. You're very into it.
- [31:46]
Dan Rubenstein
And in terms of, like, your favorite flower, do you have one?
- [31:49]
Erin Lauder
Probably a rose. I mean, I love roses, and I also do love lily of the valley. I think there's something really special. I love the way they smell. I love what they represent. They're so. They're. The season is so short. They're so delicate and feminine. There's so many things about them that I love.
- [32:06]
Dan Rubenstein
I'm wondering, do you. Are you someone who hoards vases? Are you like a vase hoarder?
- [32:10]
Erin Lauder
Of course I hoard vases.
- [32:12]
Dan Rubenstein
How many vases do you think you own?
- [32:13]
Erin Lauder
So many. I love, you know, it's fun. When I started the brand, lighting and vases were the two products or two objects or two things that I hoarded all the time. I always have, you know, an attic full of lighting, and I have closets and closets of vases. Ceramic ones, glass ones, straw ones, vintage contemporary ones designed by friends. So to me, I love collecting vases.
- [32:38]
Dan Rubenstein
Did you inherit any of these kinds of things?
- [32:40]
Erin Lauder
I did inherited tons of beautiful things from her, Whether they're silver or beautiful old cash positive. I've inherited lots of wonderful pieces from her.
- [32:50]
Dan Rubenstein
Is there one that's the most meaningful to you or the most unique? I guess.
- [32:55]
Erin Lauder
You know, to tell you the truth, I have some beautiful cachepos in Long Island. We have a house of hers that used to belong to her right near East Hampton. And she has some beautiful Chinese export ceramic blue and white cashpos and vases that, you know, were really the inspiration for her brand when she started in 1946. She loved blue and white and the color combination. And so I do have a lot of original pieces from her collection that I definitely. And I love them. Sometimes even empty. They're just so iconic and so pretty.
- [33:26]
Dan Rubenstein
And how. Have you seen a kind of. Have you seen any sort of stylistic shift in Aaron over the years?
- [33:34]
Erin Lauder
Probably not. We've remained pretty consistent. I mean, the brand keeps evolving, and we keep having all these wonderful partners and collaborations. But. But it's interesting. When we first launched the brand 12 years ago, the words that were cues for the word American, luxury, storytelling, heritage, quality, pretty surprise. Those words are still as relevant as ever for the brand. And that's how I know we're very true to ourself and very consistent.
- [34:02]
Dan Rubenstein
And I was wondering, your grandmother has not been with us for a little while now. Do you wonder what she might think of the sort of the world of style today and sort of how people dress and how people like to live and entertain? Do you think that if we could go in a time machine and grab her from maybe, you know, the 60s and kind of drag her into 2025 and take her to some gift show.
- [34:34]
Erin Lauder
She probably would not embrace the sneaker trend. She was very formal, and she was, you know, even at home, when she would be with a beautiful bathrobe and gold bedroom slippers, like, she was a very formal personality. I mean, she loved jewelry and hats. She was always wearing a hat. I mean, even at my graduation from the University of Pennsylvania, remember, I was so embarrassed, but she was wearing a hat with a red suit, with a red hat. And now thinking back on that, I was like, my gosh, it was so iconic. But I think she would embrace many, many trends. I mean, she would love with what was going on in beauty. She would love all these extraordinary women following their dreams, creating incredible brands and companies. She probably would not be embracing the sneaker and, like, big, you know, loose jeans, casual. You know, she was. She probably wouldn't love that, but she would understand it and respect it. You know, she loved trends. I mean, she was probably the first person to put jeans in advertising. You know, she was, as I said, she created gift with purchase. She, you know, did color story before anyone was doing color story. So she was always very, very modern. So I think she would embrace a lot of these modern trends, but she was more formal. She was, you know, European parents, and she was very formal with the way she lived and dressed.
- [35:48]
Dan Rubenstein
She would not be into normcore at all.
- [35:51]
Erin Lauder
No. And she. I mean, you know, she would wear gloves. She would use a compact. You know, I have a lot of her beautiful Old handbags. And in every handbag, there's a gold compact and a handkerchief. I mean, she was from a different era, and she embraced it.
- [36:02]
Dan Rubenstein
That. Is there anything that you do that signifies maybe a different era? Are you. Is there any kind of.
- [36:09]
Erin Lauder
I wear sneakers. I don't know. I'm trying to think, like, is there.
- [36:14]
Dan Rubenstein
Anything you do that's very formal, that, like, maybe stands out in your mind that no one else does or your contemporaries don't do?
- [36:22]
Erin Lauder
That's a good question. Probably not. I mean, I don't think there's anything that stands out. I mean, I do like a more traditional sensibility. I do love to sit down and set the table, even if it's for breakfast. For myself, there's that element of, I guess, tradition and formality, but I'm not overly formal.
- [36:43]
Dan Rubenstein
Or do you. How do you set the table for breakfast?
- [36:45]
Erin Lauder
Well, you know, beautiful linen napkin, a plate, a pretty coffee cup. Usually there is a flower or a plant or something on the table. So, you know, even, you know, there's the whole idea that, you know, do something beautiful, even if it's just for you. If it's a beautiful coffee mug, use it every day, embrace it, enjoy it, and don't save it for special occasions. And that's something that I've learned from Esti, and I think that's something that's very important, and I apply that to our brand and my way, the way I live.
- [37:11]
Dan Rubenstein
And what's next for you?
- [37:12]
Erin Lauder
What's next for me? Well, you know, we're always kind of looking for wonderful partnerships, so we have a very exciting one that's coming out in the next month that I can't tell you about, but we're launching. We're about to go on a book tour for Living with Flowers, and we're gonna be doing it internationally, too, which is really exciting because I've never really had that opportunity. So I'm going to Milan, London, and Paris, in addition to Texas and other markets. But I'm very excited to take Living With Flowers internationally, which I think on an international book tour, which I think will be quite extraordinary.
- [37:42]
Dan Rubenstein
Are you expecting people to kind of connect with it? And when you. Actually, I'm curious, like, when you. When you take the Aaron Brand and your books overseas, like, what is the. You know, when you take it to Milan, let's say, like, what is the. What is the kind of reaction? Like, what do they see in it that, like, is really sort of special to them because they live differently?
- [37:59]
Erin Lauder
Well, flowers is a global language. I mean the love of flowers. So, you know, when we go to Milan, you know, we do have elements of the brand. They're very much inspired by Europe, and we actually have quotes from many of the incredible florists out of Paris. So we do have this global presence. So I'm excited to take it to Milan, Paris and London.
- [38:19]
Dan Rubenstein
Have you done that before with previous books?
- [38:21]
Erin Lauder
We haven't. So this will be really interesting and I think it'll be really exciting.
- [38:24]
Dan Rubenstein
All right, very nice. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would those three words.
- [38:31]
Erin Lauder
Be by American heritage and traditional?
- [38:38]
Dan Rubenstein
Thank you to my guest Erin Lauter, as well as to Emily Gordon and Kristin Weil for making this episode happen. The episode of the Grand Tourist is Standing Dan Hall. To keep this going, don't forget to visit our website and sign up for our newsletter, TheGrand Tourist Curator@thegrandtourist.net and follow me on Instagram danrubenstein and you can purchase the first ever print issue of the Grand Tourist online now on our website. And don't forget to follow the Grand Tourist on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And leave us a rating or comment. Every little bit helps. Till next time.