The Power of Fit: How Emma Grede and Khloe Kardashian Are Changing the Denim Game

Which brand generated $1 million in its first day, setting a record as the most successful denim launch in apparel history?

Of course it belongs to a Kardashian. But Kardashian is only part of the story. 

Good American started as a vision by Emma Grede. The vision wasn’t just about selling jeans; it was about giving women something they had long been denied—denim that actually fit, without compromising on style. Good American wasn’t just selling clothing; it was selling empowerment.

Emma Grede, a seasoned fashion marketing professional, recognized a glaring gap—a lack of stylish, well-made jeans for women of all sizes. With an eye for both the market and cultural trends, Grede reached out to Kris Jenner, not merely with a business proposal, but with a vision—a vision for a brand that would transform the way women experience denim. It was a story destined to go beyond the typical fashion narrative, one that started with an unexpected partnership between Grede and Khloe Kardashian.

Grede’s pitch, tailored for Kardashian, was as bold as it was insightful. She saw in Khloe an advocate for body positivity and someone who had publicly championed self-love and inclusivity. Together, in 2016, they founded Good American, a denim brand that dared to be different, with size inclusivity and body positivity at its very core. Offering a range from sizes 00 to 22, Good American made a statement not only in fashion but in culture: every woman deserves to feel good in her jeans.

The brand today boasts an estimated $155 million in revenue but a combined retail and direct to consumer (DTC) that gives it a growth platform that may be unmatched by other modern textile brands, specifically within the denim category. 

DTC accounts for 40% of the brand’s revenue, underscoring the success of a business model that embraced both accessibility and digital reach. But the leaders know that customers need to experience the product in person to understand the innovation they’ve provided the market. They also partner with retailers like Nordstrom and have even stood up their own storefronts in recent years to further capture share of converted buyers. 

Good American is uniquely working with just one supplier of denim. There is not a textile brand I’ve observed yet that has made this move. Most work with hundreds of textile suppliers. The advantage here is extremely high standards and confidence of sustainable sourcing and safe labor standards. 

On the flip side, Good American is only a $155 million brand compared to the $14 billion of Levi for example. Will the supplier be able to scale with Good American? What kinds of supply chain constraints do they find themselves at risk of in the future with this model in place. 

It will be yet to be seen. But the clear answer is that we will see the future where Good American is a real competitor to billion dollar fashion brands. 

Can we clink to Good American? I think the answer is obvious. But take a listen to the podcast and find out anyway.