Even When Emma Grede Throws a Dinner Party at Her Home, She Means Business

On a balmy mid-week evening in Los Angeles, Grede welcomed a bevy of similarly time-strapped founders including Elsa Hosk, Ashley Tisdale, Rachel Zoe, Shay Mitchell, Aurora James, and Pia Mance to her Bel Air home, alongside founders and executives from brands like Fishwife, Arrae, and Cymbiotika.

The party followed earlier editions in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta, and most recently London, where Grede was on her home turf for the opening of the new Skims store on Regent Street. The concept has been the same each time: seat interesting women together and let the conversation do the rest.

“I do everything very purposefully,” the mother of four said, in the middle of making introductions as attendees started filtering in. “There is not one guest or seating arrangement that is not thought out.” If someone is looking for financing, they might find themselves next to someone with funds to allocate. A founder thinking about selling her brand could conveniently end up beside someone who has just been through an acquisition—or a lawyer who can help with the transaction. Around 20 percent of the guests, Grede said, are women she has never met but is simply curious about.

The night began inside her historic 1930s Paul R. Williams-designed residence over cocktails and canapés before moving outdoors, where a long, candlelit table sat beneath the trees. The flowers were low so as not to block the view across the table, and while Grede may have been meticulous over the seating chart, she doesn’t believe in keeping people tethered to their chairs, either. “I’m smart, but I’m not a magician,” she joked. “You might want to speak to somebody at the end of the table, so everyone is free to get up and move around.”

Chez Grede, every minute counts. As she has spoken about at length, in her book and in interviews, she is keenly aware that time is our most precious asset—and she’s not interested in spending it proving that she can do everything herself. “Exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor,” Grede said, noting that outsourcing tasks is not just a luxury, but leverage. She applied the same logic to the evening’s menu. While she loves to cook—Sunday roast is her signature—on this occasion, chef Natalie Reeves handled the food. “I always try to pick a woman these dinners,” she said. “Someone who’s got a real business and needs the opportunity to show off what they do.”

Before courses of lobster and fennel salad and New York strip steak with potato and celery root purée, followed by chocolate-pear upside-down cake, Grede stood to welcome the crowd. “I am always blown away that I can gather this many incredible women…from the worlds of finance, fashion, and at the forefront of AI to spend the evening with me. Everyone’s at a very different stage of their journey. The one thing that I ask of you tonight is that if you need something, or if you just want to say something, please stand up and share with the table.”

Over glasses of Sancerre and Barolo, the buzz of numbers being exchanged and dates being set for future meetings was audible. As a parting gift, each guest received a personalized journal from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s line Memoire: a chic way to ensure that everyone’s all-important time is properly documented.