Emma Grede Shared Why Didn’t Invest In Ami Colé But Hired It’s Founder At SKIMS
Emma Grede recently announced on her book tour why she didn’t invest in Diarrha N’Diaye’s company, Ami Colé. On the “She’s So Lucky” podcast with host Les Alfred, Grede shared that she doesn’t back first-time founders unless she sees something “extraordinary” about both the person and the company, explaining she didn’t see that with Ami Colé.
Emma Grede hiring Diarrha N’Diaya at SKIMS
Whilst Grede did not think Ami Colé was worth supporting, she evidently thought she was worth hiring. After Alicia Scott of Range Beauty introduced N’Diaye to Grede, she hired N’Diaye as the Executive Vice President of Beauty and Fragrance at SKIMS. Her role includes leading product development, innovation, and brand strategy.
“I have sat on salon floors, worked eight-hour shifts at beauty retailers, started a company, and am now taking an executive seat at a beauty brand promising to bring a fresh approach to beauty,” N’Diaye told The Cut.
The closure of Ami Colé
Last year, it was announced that Ami Colé, a Black-owned beauty line founded by Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye, would shut down in September. The brand, which launched in 2021, was created to serve Black and Brown individuals who have been previously underrepresented in the beauty industry.
Whilst Ami Colé developed a loyal audience, N’Diaye-Mbaye explained that part of the company’s downfall was its inability to compete with more prominent companies with greater financial backing. “I couldn’t compete with the deep pockets of corporate brands; at retail stores, prime shelf space comes at a price, and we couldn’t afford it.”
Image: Craig Barritt/Getty
