Emma Grede was born in East London on September 23 1982, so she turns 43 this September. She grew up in a working-class household with her mum and three sisters in Hackney. Money was tight, yet ambition ran high. Emma studied business at the London College of Fashion, but an internship offer from Gucci tempted her away from the classroom. She took the leap because real-world experience felt richer than lectures, and she never looked back.
Bold Moves
Fresh out of college, Emma joined Gharani Strok, then moved to Inca Productions, famous for staging eye-catching shows at London Fashion Week. Those roles sharpened her talent for merging creativity with commerce. At 26 she launched ITB Worldwide, a talent-marketing firm that paired brands with celebrities before “influencer” became a buzzword. ITB’s client list—H&M, TikTok, Tommy Hilfiger, YSL Beauty, and more—proved Emma could turn flair into profit.
Brand Empire
In 2016 Emma pitched an idea to Kris and Khloé Kardashian: size-inclusive denim that really fit. Good American was born, making one million dollars on day one. Today the label sells jeans, activewear, swim, and shoes in sizes 00 to 32 Plus, and Emma still serves as chief executive. Three years later she helped Kim Kardashian create SKIMS, the shapewear and basics brand now valued at $3.2 billion. Emma owns eight percent of SKIMS, a stake worth well over $250 million on paper. She also co-founded Safely, a plant-powered home-cleaning line. Forbes once placed her on its “30 Under 30” list; nearly a decade later she is proof that talent and tenacity age well.
Purpose Driven
Profit matters, but Emma insists values matter more. She chairs the 15 Percent Pledge, a nonprofit pushing retailers to devote at least fifteen percent of shelf space to Black-owned businesses. She mentors young founders, especially women, because—her words—“access beats ideas when funding is scarce.” That mix of hustle and heart helped her amass an estimated net worth of $360 million, making her one of the richest self-made women in fashion.
Family Life
Emma’s partner in both life and enterprise is Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede, age 46. They met on a business project, bonded over big dreams, and married in 2008. Jens co-created Frame Denim and is chief executive at SKIMS, so board meetings often double as date nights. The couple have four children: Grey (born 2014), Lola (2017), and twins Lake Holiday London and Rafferty Banks Kjell, welcomed via surrogate in 2021. Emma likes to say she can decode each child’s cry in seconds, a skill that balances twelve-hour workdays.
The family shuttles between their $24 million Bel Air estate and a Malibu beach house once owned by Brad Pitt, bought for $35 million in 2022. Ocean views offer a breather from back-to-back product launches, but Emma admits she spends more time in boardrooms than on the sand.
Investor Power
Television widened Emma’s reach. She appeared as a guest shark on the U.S. show Shark Tank in 2021, backing founders whose pitches mixed purpose with profit. In February 2024 she returned to the U.K. as the first Black woman Dragon on Dragons’ Den. Viewers watched her swoop in for deals while veteran investors blinked. Emma later joked that her nan, a super-fan of the show, offered tougher feedback than any TV critic.
Future Path
SKIMS keeps scaling, Good American keeps expanding, and Safely aims to scrub millions of kitchens without harsh chemicals. Yet Emma’s calendar is never too full for charity galas or mentoring sessions. She believes her legacy will be measured not only in revenue but in the number of doors she opens for the next wave of dreamers.
Forty-two years after that Hackney childhood, Emma Grede controls an empire worth hundreds of millions. She owns fashion labels that celebrate every body, a cleaning line that skips toxins, and real estate with Pacific sunsets. More important, she wields her influence to elevate other bold thinkers. From East London streets to Malibu cliffs, Emma shows that grit plus vision can still rewrite the playbook—and she is only getting started.
