Emma Grede

Emma Grede (born 1982) is a British businesswoman, entrepreneur and fashion designer. She is the CEO and co-founder of the denim company Good American, a founding partner of Skims, and co-founder of Safely.[2]

Emma Grede
Born
Emma Findlay

(1982-09-23) 23 September 1982
London, England
EducationLondon College of Fashion (did not graduate)
Occupation(s)Co-founder & CEO, Good American
Years active2007–
SpouseJens Grede
Children4[1]

Early life

Grede was born and raised in East London, England.[3][4] She is the daughter of Jenny-Lee Findlay, an English mother who worked for Morgan Stanley; and a Jamaican and Trinidadian father.[5] She has three younger sisters Charlotte, Rachelle, and Katie-Beth. She was raised by her mother in the Plaistow neighborhood of London.[6] She studied business at the London College of Fashion.[4] After securing an internship at Gucci she dropped out of university.

Career

After initially working as a producer at fashion show and events company Inca Productions,[2][7] in 2008 Grede founded and was CEO of Independent Talent Brand (ITB) Worldwide, a London-based talent management and entertainment marketing agency [8][4][9][10] In 2018, ITB was acquired by Rogers & Cowan, and Grede exited the company.[9]

Around 2015, Grede proposed an idea for a denim company to Kris Jenner, explaining that she wanted to partner with Jenner's daughter Khloé Kardashian.[7] Grede and Kardashian launched Good American in 2016, as a women's clothing company focused on size inclusivity and body positivity, with Grede as CEO.[3][4] The company expanded from strictly selling denim jeans to include dresses, activewear, tops, swimwear, sleepwear, and shoes in its line.[4][7] They also created the size 15 to accommodate more body types.[7]

Grede is a founding partner of Skims, a shapewear brand founded by her husband Jens Grede and Kim Kardashian in 2019. Grede is the company's chief product officer.[4] Along with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen, Grede is the founder of Safely, a brand of plant-based cleaning and self-care products that was launched in March 2021.[11][12]

Grede is a guest shark on the first episode of season 13 and the fourteenth episode of season 14 of the reality television series Shark Tank.[13] She is the first black woman on the show. She is chairwoman of the 15 Percent Pledge, an initiative for retailers to reserve 15% of their shelf space for Black-owned businesses.[2]

Personal life

Grede is married to Jens Grede, the Swedish co-founder of Skims and denim brand, Frame.[2] They moved to Los Angeles in 2017. They have four children together; Grey, Lola, and twins Lake and Rafferty.[14][15]

Recognition

On November 2022, Emma along with her husband, Jens Grede, and Kim Kardashian won the first Innovation Award presented by Amazon Fashion for Skims at the CFDA Awards in New York.

References
  1. Johansson, Victor (7 February 2022). ""Råder alla vänner att gifta sig med en svensk"". Svenska Dagbladet.
  2. Lodi, Marie (5 October 2021). "The British Powerhouse Behind Good American". Bustle. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. Murray, Daisy (20 June 2021). "Emma Grede Is The Celebrity Fashion Brand Mogul With The Midas Touch". Elle. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  4. Mamona, Sheilla (30 June 2021). "From East London to Bel Air: The co-founder of Good American and founding partner of SKIMS shares her recipes for multi-million dollar success". Glamour. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  5. "Good American's CEO on Being the Only Black Woman in the Room: "I Don't Notice"". 20 February 2018.
  6. Mahanty, Shannon (17 June 2021). "Emma Grede on building a fashion empire with the Kardashians: 'Ask questions, work really hard and don't be an a***hole'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  7. Winn, Layne (12 November 2019). "Good American founder Emma Grede on how she got into business with Khloe Kardashian". ABC News. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  8. "Case study: How influencers can cut through social noise". 2 March 2015.
  9. Day, Andy (10 May 2018). "London based influencer agency ITB Worldwide acquired by Rogers & Cowan". Capital A. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  10. Segran, Elizabeth (20 February 2018). "Good American's CEO On Being The Only Black Woman In The Room: "I Don't Notice"". Fast Company. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  11. Green, Penelope (24 March 2021). "Are You Cleaning Enough? Celebrities Want to Help". New York Times. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  12. McCann, Maile (3 August 2021). "'You've got to be where the customers are': Safely's Emma Grede on entering Bed Bath & Beyond". Modern Retail. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  13. Hipes, Patrick (26 August 2021). "'Shark Tank' Guest Sharks For New Season Include Kevin Hart, Skims And Nextdoor Co-Founders". Deadline. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  14. McClain, James (12 May 2020). "Fashion Designers Jens and Emma Grede Buy $24 Million Bel Air Estate". Variety. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  15. Pithers, Ellie (12 September 2021). "Good American Co-Founder Emma Grede Has Created A Distinctly English Home In The Middle Of Bel Air". Vogue. Retrieved 4 October 2021.


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