Emma and Jens Grede: The Power Couple Behind the Kardashian’s Numerous Successes

You've likely purchased jeans, underwear, or a blazer bearing one of their brand names, but you probably don't know their names or faces. Among their global triumphs, Emma and Jens Grede founded and own the shapewear and underwear brand Skims with Kim Kardashian. Jens had previously launched Mr. Porter and Frame Denim, but their stratospheric rise began when Emma proposed to Khloe Kardashian to jointly create an inclusive denim brand, Good American, in 2016. This was followed by Skims in 2019, then Safely in 2021—a green line of cleaning products with Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian clan—and most recently, a fashion brand with Kylie Jenner named Khy, inspired by her own super-sexy style and offering faux leather clothing.

The couple understands the power of the image, including their own, as hinted by a recently published, ironically toned article in The Cut magazine. The journalist portrays the couple as somewhat superficial, "wrinkle-free with teeth so white they look blue," nestled on a white sofa, next to which sits a photo of their four perfect children. The interview seems somewhat surreal; Jens appears exhausted and talks about retirement, while Emma feigns responding but focuses on what enhances her, such as the propelling effect of her participation in the Shark Tank show for women of color or the 15 Percent Pledge initiative encouraging stores to carry brands created by African Americans. When asked to describe working with Kim, they respond with identical deer-in-the-headlights expressions before saying that it’s wonderful and also like working with anyone else.

Certainly, Kim Kardashian's colossal social media following (364 million fans, mostly enthralled by her style) was a guarantee of success for a brand she embodies and that mirrors her image. However, it's the business acumen and marketing prowess of the Grede duo that turned it into a remarkable success story. On the day Skims was launched in September 2019—introducing a wide variety of sizes and colors to the shapewear market for the first time—all models were sold out within minutes, raking in a total of $2 million. This concept was truly born from Kim's imagination. She has been wearing these compression undergarments for a long time but adapted them to her body shape and outfits—cutting a leg off shorts here, adding a corset to shaping briefs and a volumizing bra there. Kim's stroke of genius transformed it into a brand that shifted the perception of shapewear from old-fashioned to a range of inclusive, cool, and even sexy "solutions." The swift addition of a regular lingerie line exponentially amplified the success. Starting with undergarments, expanding to loungewear, and then to simple t-shirts or dresses marketed on the principle of hype streetwear brands—almost sudden drops (announced a few days in advance) that would never be available again once the series sold out. Naturally, they are in high demand, especially with the combined marketing genius of the three founders. Campaigns shot by artist Vanessa Beecroft—who has infused the brand with a strong and conceptual image for a long time—feature a diverse array of celebrities and influencers at every launch, from Cardi B to Kim Cattrall, Megan Fox, Carmen Electra, Ice Spice, Heidi Klum, Addison Rae, and Paris Jackson, to name just a few. The list seems endless, mirroring the brand's diversification. Skims has expanded its product range to include swimwear, sportswear, bridal lingerie, and, since this fall, men's underwear—showcased on Neymar, American football star Nick Bosa, and basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Brilliant, inevitably. In July, Jens Grede announced an anticipated revenue of $750 million for 2023, a 50% increase from the $500 million in 2022, with an estimated net profit of $190 million. As a result, after just four years in existence, Skims, still majority-owned by its three co-founders, is valued at $4 billion and is reportedly considering an IPO later this year, according to Bloomberg.

The resounding success of Skims is largely attributed to Jens, the CEO also overseeing marketing, and Emma, the director of products and clothing development—a golden partnership that began in the mid-2000s in London when Emma joined the marketing agency founded by Jens in 2003. Passionate about fashion, despite quickly abandoning her studies at the London College of Fashion for an internship at Gucci, Emma chose to venture into fashion show production before joining her future partner's agency. Her advantage: having a portfolio of brands that allowed her to represent "half of London Fashion Week." This success was achieved by connecting stars with mega-brands—Beyoncé on a sandy beach for H&M, Natalie Portman as Miss Dior, or Gwyneth Paltrow for Hugo Boss fragrances. When Emma, who accompanied her husband's success with Mr Porter in 2011 and Frame in 2012, met Kris Jenner, she immediately recognized the potential of a fashion brand associated with the world's most famous family. “In my career I was fortunate to have a front-row seat with an address book of celebrity brands and talents,” she says. “We were building ideas and creating value for other companies all the time, and I thought, ‘Let’s take what I know and go and create value for myself’.” She co-founded Good American with Khloé Kardashian in 2016 in response to fashion campaigns “rooted in inclusivity and diversity, using plus-size models, but didn’t make clothes to fit those people”. Good American earned $1 million on its first day of sales, thanks to Emma's initial idea, offering sizes from 34 to 60.

The following year, the couple relocated to Los Angeles, where Emma and Kim quickly formed a close friendship, ultimately leading to the creation of Skims. While their exact fortune remains undisclosed, Emma's estimated net worth exceeds $350 million. Last year, the couple purchased Brad Pitt's former Malibu residence for $45 million, but they spend their weeks in their $24 million Bel Air mansion. Emma boasts half a million followers on Instagram, where she is seen posing with Kamala Harris or Barack Obama, and ranks 84th on Forbes' Self-Made Women 2023 list. A phenomenal personal success story behind brands attributed to others, although she occasionally claims credit for her contributions, as she herself has stated.