Emma Grede may not be a household name, but the brands she’s built alongside the Kardashian family certainly are. As the co-founder and CEO of Good American and a founding partner of Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims, Grede has established herself as a major player in the fashion and business world.
Now, she’s returning as a guest investor on Dragons’ Den, where she will evaluate pitches from entrepreneurs, including two brothers launching a sauce brand, a London-based graduate with an automatic cooling device, and a Welsh innovator with a bike storage solution.
A Rising Business Star
Born and raised in East London by a single mother, Grede displayed entrepreneurial instincts early on, starting a paper route at 12 and saving up for fashion magazines. She later founded ITB Worldwide, a fashion and entertainment marketing agency, at just 26.
Her business acumen caught the attention of some of the biggest names in fashion and entertainment, leading her to co-found Good American with Khloe Kardashian in 2016. The brand quickly became a leader in size-inclusive fashion, offering jeans up to size 32 and promoting body diversity. Today, Good American is valued at over $3 billion.
Grede’s influence extends beyond fashion. In 2019, she co-founded Skims with Kim Kardashian and her husband, Jens Grede. The brand, now valued at $4 billion, has revolutionized shapewear with innovative designs and high-profile collaborations, including partnerships with The North Face, Dolce & Gabbana, and Nike.
Expanding Her Business Empire
Beyond fashion, Grede has invested in other ventures, including Safely, a plant-based cleaning brand she co-founded with Kris Jenner in 2021. She and her husband are also founding investors in Kylie Jenner’s fashion brand, Khy, which launched in 2023 and quickly sold out its first collection.
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Grede has also made a mark in television, becoming the first Black woman to serve as an investor on Shark Tank, the U.S. equivalent of Dragons’ Den. She is also the chairwoman of The Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit advocating for major retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
A Return to Dragons’ Den
Grede has spoken about why she enjoys investment shows, emphasizing their ability to provide opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs. “If you have ambition, an idea, and you want to make a better life for yourself and your family… you deserve that opportunity,” she told Marie Claire.
With her return to Dragons’ Den, Grede brings her vast business expertise to the panel, ready to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. Her track record of transforming brands into billion-dollar businesses makes her one of the most influential figures in fashion and business today.
