Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and currently  senior member of its Board of Directors, will receive the John B. Fairchild Award at the  WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit in October.

Lauder is the third recipient of the award, following Ralph Lauren and Karl Lagerfeld. The award, named after WWD’s late chairman and editorial director, was introduced in 2016 as an annual celebration of creative vision, performance and leadership in the fashion and beauty industries. The winners are chosen by WWD’s editors.

Lauder tells WWD, “I’m so proud to receive the John B. Fairchild Award, named after my greatest hero of the 20th century. John was a dear friend, and the great transformer of fashion and people news. No one can match John’s wit, character and vision.”

Lauder is Estée Lauder’s son, and formally joined the company in 1958, when it had annual sales of $800,000. He served as President of The Estée Lauder Companies from 1972 to 1995; then Chief Executive Officer from 1982 to 1999; and Chairman from 1995 through 2009.

The Estée Lauder Companies website states: “Leonard Lauder consistently developed and implemented innovative sales and marketing programs and increased the Company’s sales and profits. He created its first research and development laboratory and brought in professional management on every level. He also initiated The Estée Lauder Companies’ international expansion, which began in 1960 with the opening of the Estée Lauder account at Harrods in London.”

Under Leonard Lauder’s leadership, the Estée Lauder Companies launched several brands, including Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series and Origins — and expanded through numerous acquisitions beginning in the mid-1990s, which included Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London, La Mer and MAC.