EXHIBIT 10.9(a)

                        AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

       THIS AMENDMENT ("Amendment"), dated as of July 1, 2002, to the Employment
Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2000, as amended (the "Agreement"), between
The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., a Delaware corporation ("the "Company"), and
Ronald S. Lauder, a resident of New York, New York (the "Executive").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

       WHEREAS, the Executive and the Company are parties to the Agreement; and

       WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive wish to amend the Agreement to
extend the term and adjust the compensation as set forth herein;

       NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual
covenants and obligations hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto, intending
to be legally bound, hereby agree to amend the Agreement as follows:

1.     EMPLOYMENT TERM. The Term of Employment shall end on June 30, 2006 unless
       terminated sooner pursuant to Section 6 of the Agreement.

2.     BASE SALARY. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, Base Salary shall
       be paid to the Executive at a rate equal to $380,000 per year. For
       Contract Years beginning after June 30, 2003, Base Salary shall be paid
       to the Executive at a rate equal to $400,000 per year. Each rate shall be
       "Base Salary" for the respective Contract Year.

3.     TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE. The date in section 6(c) of the Agreement
       shall be changed from June 30, 2005 to June 30, 2006.

4.     MISCELLANEOUS.

              a.     Except as provided above, all other terms and conditions of
                     the Agreement shall remain the same.

              b.     Capitalized terms used in this Amendment shall have the
                     meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement, except to
                     the extent the term is modified herein.

              c.     This Amendment shall be subject to, and governed by, the
                     laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made
                     and to be performed therein.




       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement
       as of the date first written above.

                                         THE ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES INC.


                                         By: /s/ ANDREW J. CAVANAUGH
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                 Name:  Andrew J. Cavanaugh
                                                 Title: Senior Vice President -
                                                        Global Human Resources

                                         /s/ RONALD S. LAUDER
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                                Ronald S. Lauder


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