Kendal Ascher, a longtime government at the Estée Lauder Cos., has died at age 56.
The corporate confirmed his demise however didn’t present a date or trigger. Ascher most lately labored because the senior vp of the posh portfolio and common supervisor, and dealing on methods throughout La Mer, Tom Ford Magnificence, Jo Malone London, Kilian Paris, Balmain Magnificence and Frédéric Malle for North America. That features three of these manufacturers’ simultaneous retailer openings on Prince Avenue in New York’s SoHo neighborhood in 2025.
“Kendal was one among a sort, filled with ardour and life. He introduced the most effective to everybody he touched — his colleagues, his retail companions and, particularly, his subject group. When Kendal walked right into a room, he lit it up. He was filled with vitality, variety and humorous, and he had a coronary heart of gold. He actually liked our firm, and we had been all blessed to be impressed by Kendal,” mentioned Jane Hertzmark Hudis, government vp and chief model officer of the Estée Lauder Cos.
Added Tara Simon, the corporate’s president of the Americas, “We’re heartbroken by the lack of Kendal. His impression prolonged far past his position as our North America luxurious manufacturers chief. He was a fearless advocate for his groups, a beneficiant mentor, a lover of magnificence and luxurious, all the time an optimist and, principally, a good friend. Kendal was an unbelievable chief. He confirmed up to work the identical method he lived his life — filled with coronary heart and conviction, levity and knowledge. He helped his groups consider they may accomplish issues they hadn’t imagined and created success for all alongside the way in which. The outpouring from inside the firm and throughout the trade has been extraordinary and exhibits his immeasurable impression.”
Ascher spent 25 years on the firm, the place he began as a subject account government earlier than turning into vp of promoting. Amongst his accomplishments, he led La Mer to the highest place in luxurious skincare.
“I had the pleasure of working with Kendal for greater than 20 years as he led the North America enterprise at La Mer. He was an distinctive chief whose affect touched each a part of our model, however much more impactful had been the relationships he constructed with our retail and media companions and, most significantly, our subject groups,” mentioned Sandra Important, world model president of La Mer. “He led with grace, optimism and a dedication to bringing folks collectively and making everybody really feel valued. His generosity as a frontrunner and mentor set a typical for all of us and can stay one among his most significant legacies.“
Ascher was an alum of the Style Institute of Expertise’s cosmetics and perfume advertising and administration program, the place he additionally mentored college students.
“Kendal was a uncommon type of trade chief, with the mixture of stellar advertising expertise, enterprise acumen born within the subject and an innate empathy for the patron. He was exceptionally polished, articulate and intellectually shiny, and had a sterling enterprise status. As a frontrunner, he had an enormous coronary heart, and younger expertise flocked to him for mentoring and studying, and he deeply valued and revered those self same qualities taught to him by Mr. Leonard Lauder,” mentioned Stephan Kanlian, this system’s chairperson.
“On a private degree, he was one of many kindest folks I’ve ever recognized, and barely had been you in his presence with out his arm round you, and he was recognized for his signature bear hugs. Like so many extremely smart folks, he had a scrumptious humorousness and probably the most infectious, childlike snort. As an early graduate of the grasp’s program at FIT [in 2005], he was one among our first superstars, voted by his classmates because the L’Oréal Scholar Management Award recipient, and I watched with pleasure as his profession took flight. He all the time stayed near me, the college and this system,” Kanlian mentioned. “We had been all immensely pleased with Kendal at FIT, the place he served because the Estée Lauder government on our trade advisory board, and was one of many program’s first alumni award recipients.”
Ascher additionally sat on the board of administrators for the Perfume Basis. “I had the privilege to know Kendal for many years, however actually grew nearer to him each personally and professionally, as a valued member on the Perfume Basis board of administrators. Kendal’s enthusiasm, ardour, humor and positivity for all we shared was contagious. His dedication to mentorship, giving again and nurturing future leaders was all the time evident together with at our current celebration of TFF 2026 Notables which included his honoree,” mentioned Linda G. Levy, president of the Perfume Basis.
“What’s going to stick with me without end are his massive bear hugs and the phrases he shared with me on an intense Zoom dialogue we had one on one. Whereas Kendal thanked me ‘for the teaching session,’ it was Kendal who was uplifting me. All the perfume and sweetness neighborhood has been devastated by the a lot too early lack of Kendal. We on the Perfume Basis ship our deepest sympathies to his beloved husband, household and the Estée Lauder Cos., his prolonged household,” Levy continued.
On the enterprise entrance, his relationships ran simply as deep. Kate Oldham, who previously headed Saks Fifth Avenue’s magnificence enterprise, mentioned, “Kendal Asher was a pleasure to work with. Over the 25-plus years I labored with him, his ardour, dedication, sheer enjoyable and nice humorousness had been infectious. It all the time stood out how he made everybody really feel necessary by treating them with kindness, curiosity and respect. His group adored and revered him and at Saks we admired and trusted him.
“He was that uncommon mix of promoting sage and business-driven government — somebody who actually understood easy methods to construct, drive and create manufacturers that might endure. However Kendal’s impression went far deeper than enterprise,” Oldham continued. “The manufacturers he constructed will keep it up, however the decency, kindness and heat — that’s what he’ll be remembered for many.”
