Good American, the clothing brand co-founded by Khloe Kardashian, is at the center of a controversy after it was listed as a Black-owned business on the website of the department store Nordstrom.
According to their website, Good American was co-founded in October 2016, when Emma Grede, who is biracial with a Jamaican and Trinidadian father, launched it alongside Kardashian “to empower all women to celebrate their bodies with confidence by offering high-quality designs in all sizes.”
The brand focuses on inclusive sizing and body positivity and has been praised in the past for its commitment to diversity and representation.
Grede is also a founding partner of SKIMS alongside Kim Kardashian West and a co-Founder of Safely, a plant-powered cleaning brand. She also appeared as the first Black female shark on season 13 of Shark Tank.
However, the move from Nordstrom has drawn criticism from Black Twitter, with many users questioning why a brand associated with a white celebrity is being classified as Black-owned.
Nordstrom website is saying Good American is Black-owned. I just looked up the brand and I feel like this is misleading
— Imani Anansa (@afro_rriquena) February 1, 2023
On Nordstrom looking for a coat. Good American comes up as Black Owned/Founded ………..
Isn’t that Kloe Kardashian’s Brand ???? pic.twitter.com/tUjk0uuky7
— minding my chicago business (@Meka_Meanz) January 25, 2023
@Nordstrom @khloekardashian Good American is not BLACK OWNED……Emma is black but Khloe Kardashian is not black and she is a co-founder…this is false and wrong on so many levels. pic.twitter.com/038a8eHEjR
— Shante (@Shante3727) February 3, 2023
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Other users are pointing to the technicality of the brand being owned and co-founded by a Black woman, classifying it as Black-owned.
Nordstrom Lists Khloé Kardashian’s Brand In Their ‘Black-Owned’ Section & Fans Are Livid — But Technically, It Is https://t.co/QS2teEIoQZ So, the Co-Founder of “Good American” is a Black Woman, which gives the brand “Black-Owned” status. Okay. #blackownedbusiness #Kardashian
— Joylette Hairston-West (@atty4real) February 11, 2023
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the complexities of identity and ownership in the world of fashion and beauty and is a reminder to be intentional about uplifting the voices of Black business owners, rather than simply paying lip service to diversity and inclusion.
