With just over a year of designing Good American under their belts, Khloe Kardashian and Emma Grede have solidified their places in the denim market and their reputations as women who truly champion size inclusivity in the fashion world. Yesterday in New York City, the duo brought a group of editors together for a Q&A hosted by Good American Squad member and model Leomie Anderson to discuss the brand’s journey, learning from mistakes, and how they spread the message of body positivity to the men in their lives. Read on for more highlights from the conversation.
Both Grade and Kardashian knew Good American would make an impact but didn’t know how big it would be: “We knew there was such a need for the type of product we do, but definitely didn’t see the whole shift in the retail landscape,” shared Grade. “Nordstrom really credited Good American with their change in their entire retail strategy. They’ve gone out to every brand to ask them to do extended sizing, and they’ve changed the way they merchandise, they’ve changed their mannequins, and that’s going to be rolled out across the country.” Added Kardashian, “Normally you don’t want competition, but in this aspect bring on some friendly competition. Bring in the inclusivity and sizing. Let’s have competition in that regard. I’m all for it.”
Khloe credits her family for her body confidence: “I never knew I wasn’t an ‘ideal weight’ growing up,” the youngest Kardashian sister shared. “My family never made me feel less than. My sister, my mom, my dad—we all looked different, but no one ever made me feel like I was chubby. I didn’t know that I was bigger or different from them, I guess, until we started doing our TV show. I was in the public eye, and people were able to pick me apart. That’s when I was like, oh, I guess I’m chubby or bigger than them. I really commend my mom and sisters for never making me feel less than [them]. Everyone always asks, ‘how do you so much confidence?” and I say, “ I don’t know, I guess it’s the household I grew up in. I was allowed to wear the body-con Herve dresses that my sister wore. I didn’t feel like I was too big to wear them. I was like, I look cute! I was all for it.”
Find Good American jeans in nordstrom.com SHOP.
Good American’s success comes from being more than just a product line: Said Grade, “I think people want brands that have a purpose. People need to feel that you’re more than just the some of your parts, more than just a pair of pants,s and I think people feel a lot of pride when they say I’m in Good American, I’m an empowered woman.” She adds, “People want to be surrounded by positivist,y and we are the ultimate positive woman brand. That is what we do. People smell bullshit. They know when it’s not real. And we were really walking the walk and talking the talk.”
Khloe is the mastermind behind the latest iconic Kris Kardashian meme: When Anderson mentioned she loved Kris’ new hai,r Khloe replied: O,h the blond? She was so drunk in London. I actually love her like that. I did get her down,k, though.
The best piece of business advice Grede’s ever received: “It’s from my husband. He told me, make a decision n and move on. You’re going to make good decisions, you’re going to make bad decisions, but the most important thing is to make a decision. Be decisive about things.”
The best piece of business advice Khloe can give: “You’re always going to hear no, so be prepared for that,” shared Kardashian. “If you’re not confident or secure enough in whatever your business is to hear no a million times, then you have to believe in yourself. No one is going to just hand you anything. I hear no all the time. Nordstrom wasn’t giving us this place. We had to prove why we deserve to be on the floor with the rest of them. And we do.”
Why they believe retailers were hesitant to carry over a size 12: “People don’t believe they have the customer,” Grandee shared. “That’s the number one thing we got. And I’d say to them, and you do have the custom. She’s just buying handbags and shoes from you. It comes down to the fact that they just don’t know because they’ve never done it. Nordstrom was fantastic because they took such a gamble, but it’s obviously working out for them.”
On mistake s they made in the beginning and what they learned from them: There are so many things with the fit,” Kardashian admitted. “Just because something fits on Emma or me or because we like something doesn’t mean the same silhouette will be taken in by the masses. I think it’s about really trying to take yourself out of it and thinking about designing something for a wide range of women.”Gradee got even more candid. “We totally messed up sizing in the beginning,” she said. “We were all over,r, and it was a grading issue we had in the beginning, and it was about a lack of expertise we had. We corrected really quickly, but it was a mistake.” According to the duo, the brand apologized as customer service is a priority. “We told people what happened,d and they just returned,” said Kardashian.”If you correct and take ownership of your mistake,s people really appreciate that.”
How they teach body positivity messages to the men in their lives: Kardashian and Grede agree it starts from a young age. “We used to get our mouth washed out with soap if we ever identified someone like, oh that big girl over there, “Kardashianisharedd. “We were never allowed to identify someone with any physical attribute. I don’t know why my dad was super strict about that,t but it always played into me as an adult. I never really identify someone through physical attributes. It makes you remember people’s names and faces more,e and I really like that. And it’s just about how you treat people and starting from a young age.”
Visit Good American’s V-Filepop-up shop in New York City on October 27 and 28, 2017, or shop the brand on nordstrom.com, select Bloomingdale’s stores, and on goodamerican.com.
