The reason behind the death of Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) executive Kendal Ascher, who passed away in February, has been revealed following a medical examination.
The chief medical examiner for New York City, US, confirmed that Ascher, aged 56, had died of “acute respiratory failure due to pulmonary embolism of foreign material following cosmetic filler injections”, according to a New York Post article.
The examiner ruled his death to be “accidental”.
A pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in an artery in the lungs.
Ascher died at his New York apartment after feeling lightheaded while having a shower, with his husband, William Howe, attempting to help him before he passed away in his arms.
Ascher had worked for the US luxury beauty giant for more than 25 years, most recently as Senior VP and GM of the ELC’s luxury portfolio.
This included managing luxury perfume house Jo Malone London, as well as skin care brands La Mer and Darphin, across North America.
Ascher began his career with ELC in June 1995 as an Account Executive for Aramis Designer Fragrances, before moving over to head up Bobbi Brown Cosmetics in the same role in 1999.
He then left to join French beauty giant L'Oréal in 2001, working for nearly six years as Assistant VP of Marketing for skin care brand Kiehl's, before returning to ELC in 2007.
Ascher’s passing saw an outpouring of condolences from the beauty industry.
Cosmetics Business has contacted ELC for a statement.
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