During New York Fashion Week in September 2009 I had one in a lifetime opportunity to be invited to the Estée Lauder Companies offices in New York City. For a beauty lover such as myself it was a dream come true. I even met Evelyn Lauder and was completely mesmerized by her charm, beauty and elegance. Did you know that Evelyn established The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and formalized the pink ribbon as a symbol for breast cancer awareness. Her passion for the cause seemed contagious when hearing Evelyn talk about it that day. Fascinating. Here are some of the photos I took to give you a sneak peek to an office of a legendary cosmetics brand.

L to R: Marta Walsh Founder & Editor of TalkingMakeup.com and Evelyn Lauder

Marta Walsh at the Estée Lauder Companies offices in New York City

The breathtaking New York City views…

Fascinating old photos…

The exquisite wallpaper…

Timeless pieces…

The bathroom full of Estée Lauder perfumes…

Ronald Reagan in one of the photos…

xoxo Marta

The flagship brand of The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., today named world-renowned makeup artist Tom Pecheux Creative Makeup Director. A favorite of top photographers, stylists and fashion editors around the world for his sophisticated take on Parisian glamour, Pecheux will work closely with the Estée Lauder brand to help set artistic direction for the next generation of Estée Lauder makeup and communicate his point of view on modern beauty to consumers, press and fashion and beauty influencers.

Tom Pecheux

We are incredibly excited to partner with Tom Pecheux,” said Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Global Brand President, Estee Lauder. “Tom will add a new energy, style and fashion edge to Estee Lauder makeup. His intuitive sense of color and expertise in global beauty trends will help us redefine modern color in a bold new way.” Beginning in Spring 2010, new, high-impact color products influenced by Pecheux will appear at Estee Lauder counters. Pecheux’s makeup artistry will be featured in new advertising campaigns with Estee Lauder model Hilary Rhoda.

Pecheux began his career three decades ago by assisting the legendary makeup artist Linda Cantello but it was through his close creative relationships with Mario Testino and Carine Roitfeld at the start of the 1990s that Pecheux established himself as a leading force in makeup. Philosophically, Pecheux believes that make-up should flatter rather than conceal or embellish.

“It’s a great privilege to work with the Estee Lauder brand,” said Pecheux. “We are both dedicated to making women look and feel beautiful. I know this will be a great creative partnership.” Throughout his career, Pecheux has consistently worked with the finest fashion photographers, including Mario Testino, Patrick Demarchelier, Craig McDean, Peter Lindbergh, and Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. He has also created striking runway looks for leading fashion houses including Marni, Ralph Lauren, Derek Lam, Givenchy, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Pecheux is a regular contributor to top fashion magazines, including Vogue (Italy, Paris and U.S. editions), Vanity Fair and V magazine. He has also created memorable advertising campaigns for Michael Kors, Burberry, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Givenchy, Balmain and Yves Saint Laurent.