Emma Grede
Co-founder and chief executive of Good American; founding partner of Skims
Emma Grede is the British entrepreneur behind several of the most successful founder-led fashion brands of the past decade. She co-founded and leads the inclusive denim brand Good American, is a founding partner of Skims and chairs the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which pushes retailers to stock more Black-owned brands.
| Role | Co-founder and chief executive, Good American |
|---|---|
| Also | Founding partner and chief product officer, Skims |
| Chair | Fifteen Percent Pledge |
| Born | 1982, London |
| Nationality | British |
Who is Emma Grede?
Emma Grede is a British businesswoman, born in London in 1982. She is co-founder and chief executive of Good American, a founding partner and chief product officer of Skims, and a prominent voice on entrepreneurship and diversity in the fashion and consumer industries. She is based in Los Angeles.
Career
Grede started her career in fashion marketing and in 2008, aged 26, co-founded ITB Worldwide (Independent Talent Brand), a London agency that connected brands with talent and celebrities. The business was acquired by Rogers & Cowan in 2018.
In 2016 she co-founded Good American with Khloé Kardashian. The denim label was built around a broad size range and inclusive fit and recorded one million dollars in sales on its first day. Grede serves as chief executive. In 2019 she became a founding partner of Skims, the shapewear and apparel brand created by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede. Further ventures include:
- Safely, a plant-based cleaning products brand co-founded in 2021 with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen
- Off Season, a 2025 venture with designer Kristin Juszczyk in collaboration with the NFL and Fanatics
- The business podcast Aspire, featuring interviews with entrepreneurs
- Her book Start With Yourself, published in April 2026
Influence on the fashion business
Grede is closely associated with the shift towards size-inclusive product ranges and community-driven, direct-to-consumer brand building. Good American was among the first denim brands to present an extended size range as its core proposition rather than an add-on. At Skims her product role has supported the expansion into new categories while maintaining a consistent fit and shade approach.
She also chairs the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a non-profit organisation that asks major retailers to commit a share of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. In 2022 she received the Amazon Fashion Innovation Award at the CFDA Awards.
Visibility as an investor
Grede has appeared as a guest investor on the US series Shark Tank, becoming the first mixed-race woman to sit on its panel, and as a guest dragon on the BBC's Dragons' Den in 2024. These appearances have made her one of the most visible fashion entrepreneurs outside the trade.
Why it matters
Emma Grede's portfolio shows how talent partnerships, inclusive product design and disciplined operations can be combined to build large brands quickly. For the fashion industry she is also a key figure in conversations about diversity in ownership, supplier choice and retail assortment.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Emma Grede?
Emma Grede is a British entrepreneur who co-founded and runs the denim brand Good American and is a founding partner of Skims. She also chairs the Fifteen Percent Pledge and has appeared as an investor on Shark Tank.
What is Emma Grede's role at Skims?
Emma Grede is a founding partner of Skims, launched in 2019 with Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede, and has served as its chief product officer. Jens Grede leads the company as chief executive.