Emma Grede is a British-American businesswoman who has a net worth of $375 million as of 2023. She is the CEO and co-founder of Good American, a size-inclusive fashion brand that she launched with Khloe Kardashian in 2016.
She is also a founding partner and chief product officer of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, and a co-founder of Safely, a plant-based cleaning and self-care brand with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen. In this article, we will explore how Grede built her empire, what are her sources of income, and what are her future plans.
From London to Los Angeles
Grede was born and raised in the Plaistow neighborhood of East London, England, by a single mother who worked for Morgan Stanley. She has three younger sisters and a mixed-race heritage of Jamaican, Trinidadian, and English. She developed a passion for fashion at an early age, saving her money from odd jobs to buy magazines like Elle and Vogue.
She enrolled at the London College of Fashion at 16, but dropped out to pursue her career. She worked for a concierge company and a fashion show and events producer before founding her own talent management and entertainment marketing agency, ITB Worldwide, in 2008. She sold ITB to Rogers & Cowan in 2018 and exited the company.
The Good American Story
Grede met Kris Jenner during Paris Fashion Week in 2015 and pitched her an idea for a denim company that would cater to women of all sizes and shapes. She wanted to partner with Jenner’s daughter, Khloe Kardashian, who had faced body-shaming and criticism in the media. Jenner agreed and Grede and Kardashian launched Good American in 2016, with Grede as the CEO.
The company sold $1 million worth of jeans on its first day and became the biggest denim launch in history. Good American expanded from jeans to other clothing items, such as dresses, activewear, tops, swimwear, sleepwear, and shoes. The company also invented the size 15 jean, to bridge the gap between sizes 14 and 16. Good American is valued at $12.7 million as of 2023 and has plans to open its first store in Los Angeles in the summer.
The Skims and Safely Ventures
Grede is also a founding partner of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand that launched in 2019. Grede is the chief product officer of the company, overseeing the design, production, and quality of the products. Skims offers a range of shapewear, underwear, loungewear, and accessories in various sizes, colors, and fabrics.
Skims has been praised for its inclusivity, innovation, and comfort. Skims is also the official underwear and loungewear partner of Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Skims is estimated to be worth $1.6 billion as of 2021 and has raised $154 million in funding.
Grede is also a co-founder of Safely, a brand of plant-based cleaning and self-care products that launched in March 2021. She teamed up with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen to create products that are safe, effective, and eco-friendly. Safely offers products such as hand soap, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent, glass cleaner, and more. Safely also donates a portion of its profits to Baby2Baby, a nonprofit organization that provides children living in poverty with basic necessities.
Conclusion
Emma Grede is a self-made fashion mogul who has a net worth of $375 million as of 2023. She is the CEO and co-founder of Good American, a size-inclusive fashion brand that she launched with Khloe Kardashian in 2016.
She is also a founding partner and chief product officer of Skims, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand, and a co-founder of Safely, a plant-based cleaning and self-care brand with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen. Grede is a role model for women entrepreneurs, especially women of color, who want to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in the world.