Emma Grede built a fashion and shapewear empire from a working-class start in East London. Today she is CEO of Good American, a founding partner of Skims, an investor on Shark Tank, and the author of Start With Yourself. Forbes estimates her net worth at $405 million as of 2025, placing her among America’s richest self-made women.
Grede’s career began in fashion marketing before she co-founded the talent agency ITB Worldwide in 2008. That business connected celebrities with brands and gave her the experience to later launch Good American with Khloé Kardashian in 2016. The denim brand made $1 million in sales on its first day.
In 2019 she became a founding partner of Skims alongside Kim Kardashian and her husband Jens Grede. The shapewear company has since grown into a multibillion-dollar brand. Grede balances her executive roles with board positions at the Obama Foundation and Baby2Baby, and she serves as a King’s Trust Ambassador.
What Is Emma Grede’s Net Worth?
Key Insights
- Forbes estimates her net worth at $405 million; Wikipedia lists “more than $300 million”; earlier Forbes figure was $320 million (2023).
- She holds a 23% stake in Good American, an 8% stake in Skims, and a 22% stake in the cleaning brand Safely.
- Good American launched with $1 million in first-day sales, though Grede later described that day as “quite stressful.”
- Skims has been valued at more than $4 billion, making Grede’s minority stake worth tens of millions.
- In 2023 she joined BBC’s Dragons’ Den as a permanent investor, targeting UK startups.
- Despite her wealth, she has said she “counts pennies,” emphasizing a disciplined work ethic.
Biographical Snapshot
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Plaistow, East London, England |
| Ethnicity | Mother: English (white British); Father: Jamaican |
| Upbringing | Working-class household, raised primarily by her single mother |
| First Major Venture | ITB Worldwide (founded 2008) |
| Dragons’ Den Debut | Series 21 (2023) |
| Philanthropy | Chairwoman of the Fifteen Percent Pledge; board member of Obama Foundation and Baby2Baby |
Who Is Emma Grede’s Husband?
Emma Grede is married to Jens Grede, a Swedish entrepreneur who co-founded the denim brand Frame and, together with Emma and Kim Kardashian, co-founded Skims. The couple lives in Los Angeles with their four children. They purchased a $45 million Malibu home in 2022.
How Did Emma and Jens Grede Meet?
The two met in London’s fashion industry before either had built their current empires. Jens was already working in denim and brand building; Emma was running ITB Worldwide. Their professional collaboration eventually led to the creation of Skims, where Jens Grede serves as CEO and Emma as Chief Product Officer.
Emma and Jens Grede have built overlapping careers: both are founding partners of Skims, and each has independent ventures (Emma’s Good American, Jens’s Frame). Their combined expertise in branding, celebrity partnerships, and direct-to-consumer strategy helped make Skims one of the fastest-growing apparel companies.
Do Emma and Jens Grede Work Together?
Yes, they share the day-to-day leadership of Skims. Emma holds the role of Chief Product Officer, while Jens is CEO. They also co-invest in other companies, such as Safely and Off Season. According to Forbes, Emma owns an 8% stake in Skims; Jens’s exact stake is not separately reported.
How Old Is Emma Grede and What Is Her Background?
Emma Findlay Grede was born on 23 September 1982 in Plaistow, East London. She is 43 years old. Her mother is English (white British) and her father is Jamaican; she was also raised for a time by a Trinidadian step-father. Grede grew up in a working-class household, primarily with her single mother.
What Is Emma Grede’s Ethnicity?
Grede has described herself as mixed-race. Her mother is white British and her father is Jamaican. She has spoken publicly about the influence of her Caribbean heritage on her perspective in business and fashion.
Did Emma Grede Have Sisters?
Grede has mentioned siblings in interviews but has not publicly named or profiled any sisters. No reliable source identifies their names or occupations.
Where Did Emma Grede Grow Up?
She was raised in East London and attended local schools. She left university early to pursue a career in fashion marketing. By the age of 26 she had co-founded ITB Worldwide, a talent management firm linking celebrities to brands.
Does Emma Grede Have a Book?
Yes, Emma Grede authored her first book titled Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, scheduled for publication in April 2026. The book blends memoir and business advice, drawing on her journey from East London to building billion-dollar brands.
What Does the Book Reveal?
In excerpts shared via her social media, Grede reveals that Good American’s widely publicized $1 million first-day sales were “quite stressful” and did not go as smoothly as the press suggested. She uses the book to discuss the reality behind entrepreneurial success stories.
Alongside the book, Grede runs the Aspire with Emma Grede podcast, which covers many of the same themes: building a personal brand, scaling a business, and maintaining resilience. The podcast is separate from the book but shares its motivational tone.
Key Milestones in Emma Grede’s Career
- 1982 – Born in Plaistow, East London.
- 2008 – Co-founded ITB Worldwide, a talent management agency.
- 2016 – Co-founded Good American with Khloé Kardashian, launching size-inclusive denim.
- 2019 – Became a founding partner of Skims, leading business strategy.
- 2021 – First appearance on Forbes’ “America’s Richest Self-Made Women” list.
- 2023 – Joined BBC’s Dragons’ Den as a permanent dragon.
- 2026 – Publication of memoir Start With Yourself.
What We Know and What Remains Uncertain
| Established Information | Information That Remains Unclear |
|---|---|
| Born 23 September 1982 (confirmed by Wikipedia and multiple sources). | Net worth varies by source: Forbes says $405 million (2025); Wikipedia says “more than $300 million.” |
| Co-founder of Good American and founding partner of Skims. | Book publication date: some sources list 2024; her official site states April 2026. |
| Married to Jens Grede; they have four children. | Sisters’ identities are not publicly recorded. |
| Mother is white British, father is Jamaican (self-described mixed heritage). | Exact stake sizes in Skims and other ventures are not audited publicly. |
How Emma Grede Changed the Fashion Industry
Grede’s work with Good American pushed the denim industry toward genuine size inclusivity. The brand launched with sizes 00–24 and made diverse representation a core part of its marketing. Skims followed a similar model, offering extended sizing in shapewear and becoming a dominant player in the apparel market.
Both brands used direct-to-consumer strategies, relying on social media and celebrity endorsements rather than traditional retail. Grede’s approach proved that inclusive sizing could be profitable. She also advocates for the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which asks retailers to devote 15% of shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
What Others Say About Emma Grede
“I’ve always believed that if you can see it, you can be it. I want to show other women that you can build something massive from nothing.”
Emma Grede, Aspire with Emma Grede podcast (2024)
“Good American was built on the idea that all women deserve to feel confident in their jeans, no matter their size.”
Good American press release (2016)
“Emma is a force of nature. She understands the consumer and the business side better than anyone I know.”
Kim Kardashian, Forbes interview (2021)
Emma Grede at a Glance
From a working-class upbringing in East London to a multibillion-dollar brand empire, Emma Grede’s story is one of resilience and strategic vision. As CEO of Good American and founding partner of Skims, she has reshaped fashion inclusivity and become one of the most influential self-made entrepreneurs in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Emma Grede’s sisters?
Emma Grede has not publicly named her sisters. She occasionally mentions siblings but keeps their identities private.
What is Emma Grede’s ethnicity?
She is mixed-race: her mother is white British and her father is Jamaican.
What is Emma Grede’s family background?
She was born in East London to a single mother and grew up in a working-class household.
Is Emma Grede a self-made billionaire?
No. Forbes estimates her net worth at $405 million, not $1 billion. She helped build billion-dollar brands but does not hold a billion-dollar fortune herself.
What is the name of Emma Grede’s book?
Her book is Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, published in April 2026.
How old is Emma Grede?
She was born on 23 September 1982, making her 43 years old as of 2025.
Who is Emma Grede’s husband?
Jens Grede, a Swedish entrepreneur and co-founder of Skims and Frame.
Did Emma Grede appear on Dragons’ Den?
Yes, she joined BBC’s Dragons’ Den in 2023 as a permanent investor.
Thomas Whitmore is Politics & Public Affairs Editor at TheUKDaily.uk, covering Parliament, government policy, elections, public spending and political accountability.