The Good American Family – Founders, Ownership, History 2025

Good American emerged in October 2016 as a size-inclusive women’s clothing brand that quickly disrupted the fashion industry with its commitment to body positivity and diverse sizing. Co-founded by reality television personality Khloé Kardashian and British entrepreneur Emma Grede, the brand achieved remarkable early success, generating one million dollars in denim sales on its very first day. The company operates from Los Angeles and has expanded from its denim origins to encompass activewear, swimwear, footwear, and ready-to-wear collections.

While the brand’s name suggests a family connection, Good American is not a traditional family business in the conventional sense. Its association with the Kardashian-Jenner family stems primarily from Khloé Kardashian’s co-founding role and the involvement of family matriarch Kris Jenner in facilitating the original partnership. Emma Grede, who serves as chief executive officer, holds a confirmed 23 percent stake in the company, while Khloé’s precise ownership percentage remains unspecified in available public sources. Understanding this distinction between celebrity partnership and family ownership proves essential for anyone researching the brand’s corporate structure.

The brand has cultivated a reputation for challenging industry norms by offering extended size ranges spanning from 00 to 24, including the innovative size 15 jean that addressed previously underserved market segments. Annual revenue estimates suggest the company generates approximately 200 million dollars, positioning it among the more successful celebrity-backed fashion ventures. This comprehensive guide examines the brand’s origins, leadership structure, historical development, and current operational status to provide a thorough understanding of Good American’s place within the contemporary fashion landscape.

What Is Good American and Its Family Ties?

Good American positions itself as what the company describes as “the first fully inclusive fashion brand that celebrates all dimensions of female power.” The brand’s mission centers on empowering women to celebrate their bodies with confidence through high-quality, inclusive designs. This philosophy permeates every aspect of the business, from product development to marketing campaigns, distinguishing Good American from many competitors who have historically focused on narrower size ranges.

The association between Good American and the broader Kardashian-Jenner family extends beyond Khloé’s co-founding role. Kris Jenner, the family matriarch, played a pivotal part in connecting Emma Grede with her daughter. Grede first met Jenner at Paris Fashion Week around 2013, sparking discussions about potential ventures involving the Kardashian sisters. When Grede developed her concept for an inclusive denim brand around 2015, she pitched the idea directly to Jenner, which ultimately led to Khloé joining as co-founder.

• Good American launched as the self-proclaimed “largest denim launch in history” in October 2016.
• The brand achieved one million dollars in sales during its first day of operation.
• Emma Grede holds a confirmed 23 percent ownership stake in the company.
• Khloé Kardashian’s exact ownership percentage has not been publicly specified.
• The company expanded from denim to activewear, swimwear, footwear, and ready-to-wear.
• Current annual revenue estimates place the brand at approximately 200 million dollars.
• The company maintains retail partnerships with Nordstrom and Selfridges alongside its direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform.

Who Founded Good American?

Emma Grede: Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

Emma Grede was born on September 23, 1982, in Britain, and has built a reputation as a strategic entrepreneur who brings operational expertise to celebrity-backed ventures. Her educational background includes studies in Business Management and Marketing at the London College of Fashion, where she attended from 1997 to 2001. Prior to launching Good American, Grede worked in fashion production and founded ITB Worldwide in 2008, a management company that was subsequently acquired by Rogers & Cowan in 2018.

Grede’s professional journey included positions at companies such as Quintessentially, Inca Productions, and the Saturday Group before establishing her own ventures. Her connection with the Kardashian-Jenner family began when she met Kris Jenner at Paris Fashion Week around 2013. Recognizing an opportunity to combine her fashion industry expertise with the family’s entertainment platform, Grede developed the concept for an inclusive denim brand and pitched it to Jenner approximately two years later.

Within Good American, Grede oversees logistics, design, production, planning, and merchandising operations. Her confirmed 23 percent ownership stake represents one of the few concrete figures available regarding the company’s ownership structure. Beyond her work with Good American, Grede has expanded her entrepreneurial portfolio significantly, partnering with Kim Kardashian on Skims and co-founding the plant-based cleaning brand Safely with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen in 2021.

Khloé Kardashian: Co-Founder and Brand Ambassador

Khloé Kardashian rose to prominence through her role in the reality television series “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” which ran from 2007 to 2021. Her involvement in Good American extends beyond traditional co-founding, as she brings creative direction and promotional capabilities drawn from her extensive media presence. The brand has featured prominently across her television programs and social media platforms, leveraging her celebrity status for marketing purposes.

Khloé’s participation in the venture reflects a broader pattern within the Kardashian-Jenner family’s business activities, which have included ventures such as the Dash retail chain (active from 2006 to 2018) and the unsuccessful Kardashian Kard financial product launched in 2010. Her emphasis on body positivity aligns with the company’s stated mission, and her visibility within the fashion space has contributed to the brand’s rapid market recognition since its 2016 launch.

What Is the History and Timeline of Good American?

The origins of Good American trace back to Emma Grede’s early career in fashion production and her entrepreneurial ventures prior to connecting with the Kardashian family. Her establishment of ITB Worldwide in 2008 demonstrated her ability to manage creative talent and brand development, capabilities that would later prove essential in building Good American. The company’s formation story reflects a convergence of Grede’s industry expertise with the Kardashian family’s entertainment platform and marketing reach.

1. Pre-2016: Emma Grede builds her career at Quintessentially, Inca Productions, and Saturday Group while founding ITB Worldwide in 2008.
2. 2013: Grede connects with Kris Jenner at Paris Fashion Week, initiating discussions about potential ventures involving the Kardashian sisters.
3. 2015: Grede develops and pitches her inclusive denim concept to Kris Jenner, proposing a partnership with Khloé Kardashian.
4. October 2016: Good American launches as the “largest denim launch in history,” generating $1 million in sales on its first day.
5. 2017: Grede and her husband Jens relocate from London to Los Angeles to focus on the U.S. market and be closer to family.
6. 2018: The brand expands into activewear and broader clothing categories; ITB Worldwide is acquired by Rogers & Cowan, with Grede stepping down as chairman.
7. 2019 onward: Grede becomes founding partner and chief product officer at Skims, partnering with Kim Kardashian and Jens.
8. 2021: Grede co-founds Safely, a plant-based cleaning products brand, with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen.
9. January 2025: Grede launches Off Season apparel line in collaboration with Kristin Juszczyk, the NFL, and Fanatics.

The company’s expansion trajectory demonstrates a strategic approach to growth that built upon its initial denim success. The introduction of size 15 jeans in 2018 proved particularly significant, as internal data revealed that approximately 50 percent of returns came from customers seeking sizes 14 and 16, indicating an underserved market segment. This insight drove product development decisions that further differentiated Good American from competitors focused on traditional sizing. Fashion industry analysts have noted this shift toward broader sizing as a significant market development.

Is Good American Still Active?

Good American remains operational as of 2025, continuing to serve customers through its e-commerce platform and retail partnerships. The brand maintains its position as what sources describe as an “iconic and inclusive fashion line” with ongoing sales success estimated at approximately 200 million dollars annually. Emma Grede continues serving as chief executive officer, guiding the company’s strategic direction and product development initiatives.

The brand’s product offerings have evolved considerably since its denim-focused launch, now encompassing activewear, swimwear, footwear, and ready-to-wear categories. Retail distribution includes partnerships with Nordstrom and Selfridges alongside the company’s direct-to-consumer e-commerce operations. Emma Grede’s most recent venture, the Off Season apparel line launched in January 2025 in collaboration with Kristin Juszczyk, the NFL, and Fanatics, demonstrates continued activity within the broader fashion industry.

Understanding the Good American Business Model

The business model underlying Good American combines celebrity association with operational expertise to create a brand that leverages both marketing reach and industry knowledge. Emma Grede’s background in fashion production and brand management provides the structural foundation, while Khloé Kardashian’s media presence offers promotional advantages that traditional startups cannot replicate. This partnership structure has enabled rapid market entry and sustained visibility within the fashion industry. Industry observers have documented how celebrity-backed fashion brands continue to reshape retail strategies.

The brand’s commitment to inclusive sizing represents both a moral position and a market strategy. By offering sizes 00 through 24, Good American addresses demographic segments historically underserved by premium fashion brands. The introduction of size 15 jeans specifically responded to customer behavior patterns, as internal data revealed significant demand from customers seeking larger sizes. This data-driven approach to product development complements the brand’s inclusive messaging.

Distribution through multiple channels, including direct e-commerce, department stores like Nordstrom, and international retailers like Selfridges, provides the brand with diverse revenue streams and market reach. The company’s Los Angeles headquarters positions it within proximity to entertainment industry resources that support promotional activities, while the relocation of Grede and her family from London in 2017 reinforced this geographic integration.

Good American in the Broader Fashion Context

Good American emerged during a period of increasing attention to size inclusivity within the fashion industry, capitalizing on growing consumer demand for brands that serve diverse body types. The company’s success demonstrated market viability for premium inclusive fashion, influencing competitor strategies and industry standards. This positioning reflects broader cultural shifts toward body positivity and representation that have reshaped consumer expectations. The movement toward size inclusivity has become a defining characteristic of contemporary fashion retail.

The brand’s relationship with the Kardashian-Jenner family business network extends beyond Good American to include related ventures. Emma Grede’s role as founding partner and chief product officer at Skims, the shapewear and loungewear brand founded with Kim Kardashian, illustrates how key personnel move across related ventures within this business ecosystem. Similarly, the 2021 launch of Safely, a plant-based cleaning brand developed with Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen, demonstrates continued expansion into new product categories.

Available sources indicate no major controversies specifically tied to Good American, with coverage emphasizing the brand’s successes in sales performance and size innovation. The broader Kardashian-Jenner family has experienced business setbacks, including the closure of the Dash retail chain and the failure of the Kardashian Kard financial product, but these do not appear to have impacted Good American’s operations or reputation.

Summary

Good American represents a notable example of celebrity-facilitated fashion entrepreneurship that combined Khloé Kardashian’s public profile with Emma Grede’s operational expertise. Founded in October 2016, the company achieved immediate commercial success and has maintained operational continuity through subsequent years. The brand’s commitment to body positivity and inclusive sizing, spanning sizes 00 to 24, differentiates it within a market historically characterized by narrower offerings. While Good American is not a traditional family business, its connections to the Kardashian-Jenner family structure remain significant through Khloé’s co-founding role and Kris Jenner’s facilitation of the original partnership. Those interested in related fashion topics may find our guide to mother of the groom dresses or our overview of In-N-Out’s menu and history valuable for further reading.

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