Estée Lauder Makes First Latin American Investment in XINÚ

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has announced a minority investment in XINÚ, a Mexican luxury fragrance house inspired by the biodiversity, creativity and cultural richness of the American continent, marking the company’s first-ever investment in a Latin American brand and reinforcing its commitment to supporting regional entrepreneurship and innovation.

Founded in 2017, XINÚ has rapidly gained recognition for its fusion of fragrance, art and storytelling, expressed through sensorial retail spaces, sustainable design principles and products that celebrate heritage while redefining modern luxury.

Stéphane de La Faverie, President and CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies, highlighted Mexico’s rise as a vibrant hub for fragrance innovation and praised XINÚ for its authenticity, craftsmanship and cultural resonance.

He emphasised that the investment reflects the group’s belief in the region’s talent and its dedication to nurturing emerging beauty businesses. XINÚ’s co-founder Verónica Peña described the partnership as a pivotal moment that aligns the brand’s creative vision with global opportunity, allowing it to expand its mission of positioning fragrance as a medium for storytelling, cultural preservation and human connection.

XINÚ is led by three founders whose combined expertise shapes the brand’s identity: Peña drives the olfactory direction, blending memory and artistry; Ignacio Cadena contributes over three decades of experience in concept design, shaping the brand’s bold visual identity; and renowned industrial designer Héctor Esrawe brings a meticulous and avant-garde design sensibility that underscores the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship, authenticity and sustainability.

Estée Lauder’s investment was made through New Incubation Ventures (NIV), its strategic early-stage investment arm, which partners with innovative founders to build breakthrough beauty brands, cultivate new business models and create a diversified pipeline of next-generation growth engines for the company’s global portfolio.

Source: The Estée Lauder Companies