Meet the Power Couple Behind Kim Kardashian’s $5B Skims
With a freshly minted $5 billion valuation, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear company Skims has become a case study in modern celebrity-backed retail done right. While Kardashian is indisputably the face of the brand, her co-founders, Emma Grede and Jens Grede, are the architects and operational engine behind its success. The husband-and-wife team also oversees a growing portfolio of brands within and beyond the Kardashian-Jenner universe.
Jens Grede (L) and Emma Grede attend the NikeSKIMS Launch Event at Nike House of Innovation on Sept. 24, 2025 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for SKIMS
The Driving Force Behind Skims’ Success
According to Christine Russo, principal at Retail Creative and Consulting Agency and U.S. Correspondent for Retail Technology Innovation Hub, “If the KarJenners offer the rocket, the Gredes bring the fuel… Whether it’s celebrity-founded or not, they understand the fragility of attention and are able to kick a flywheel and support it with functionality.” This statement highlights the crucial role the Gredes play in the success of Skims, providing the operational expertise and strategic vision that has propelled the brand to a $5 billion valuation.
Emma Grede, 43, began her career in London, while Jens Grede, reportedly 47, grew up in Sweden. The two met through their work in fashion, with Emma working as a fashion show and events producer before launching a talent and events management company in 2008. Jens went on to co-found the denim label Frame in 2012, the same year the couple married. He has also partnered on multiple ventures with his childhood friend Erik Torstensson, including fashion marketing firm Saturday Group.
A Proven Track Record of Success
In 2015, Emma met Kris Jenner and pitched the idea for a denim brand built around Khloe Kardashian. The result was Good American, which launched in 2016 and became one of the most successful celebrity-backed apparel brands to date. Today, Jens serves as chairman of Frame and CEO of Skims, while Emma is Skims’ chief product officer. The couple has four children and has built a reputation for their ability to create and manage successful brands.
Together, the Gredes have co-founded and hold ownership stakes in Skims with Kim Kardashian, Good American with Khloe Kardashian, and Safely with Kris Jenner. Emma also co-founded Off Season in partnership with fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk, the NFL, and Fanatics, while Jens continues to build Frame as a standalone fashion brand. This diverse portfolio of brands is a testament to the Gredes’ ability to identify and capitalize on emerging trends and opportunities in the fashion industry.
As Sky Canaves, principal analyst of retail and ecommerce at eMarketer, notes, “Sustainability remains a weak point for Skims, which has scored poorly on materials and sourcing and has yet to meaningfully address those concerns.” However, Canaves also acknowledges that the brand’s ability to listen to feedback and iterate on its products is a key factor in its success. This willingness to adapt and improve is a hallmark of the Gredes’ approach to building and managing brands.
A New Model for Celebrity-Backed Brands
According to Albert Varkki, retail strategist and co-founder of luxury leather brand Von Baer, “Emma and Jens Grede have built brands with backbone… Each label in their portfolio has a crisp product thesis—Skims focuses on fit and solution wear, Good American focuses on inclusive denim—and they keep building with that discipline.” This approach has enabled the Gredes to create a new model for celebrity-backed brands, one that prioritizes operational consistency and strategic vision over hype and celebrity endorsement.
As Emma Grede noted in a conversation with her husband on her podcast Aspire, “It has been a gift and a blessing that we had a working relationship together for just under a year before we actually started dating.” This personal and professional partnership has been a key factor in the Gredes’ success, allowing them to leverage their individual strengths and expertise to build a diverse portfolio of brands.
Jens Grede added, “I grew up in a home where work and life were always intertwined, and it wasn’t something that my parents were trying to separate… We’re lucky now that we don’t have to argue so much about who’s taking out the trash. But for most people, the division of roles and responsibilities in a home, in any relationship, it sure looks like work to me.” This perspective highlights the Gredes’ ability to balance their personal and professional lives, and to leverage their partnership to drive success in their business ventures.
Image Source: observer.com
