Evelyn Lauder dies: Maker of breast cancer's iconic pink ribbon was 75

Evelyn Lauder, the daughter-in-law of cosmetics magnate Estee Lauder who helped create the pink ribbon symbol for breast cancer awareness, died Saturday. She was 75.

Lauder died at her Manhattan home from complications of nongenetic ovarian cancer, said Estee Lauder Cos. spokeswoman Alexandra Trower.

Lauder worked for more than 50 years for the beauty products giant, holding many positions and helping to develop its lines of skin care, makeup and fragrance. She came up with the name of its popular Clinique brand during the 1960s. Most recently, she held the title of senior corporate vice president.

But she is best known as a powerhouse champion of breast cancer research and for helping to create the pink ribbon campaign in 1992 with Self magazine editor Alexandra Penney. Those ribbons were first distributed at Estee Lauder makeup counters around the country.

Lauder, who attended public schools in New York City and Hunter College, part of the City University of New York, also raised money to establish the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, which opened in 2009.