How ‘SheerLuxe’ redefined women’s media

Summary

Podcast Summary: Style-ish

Episode: How ‘SheerLuxe’ redefined women’s media
Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Madison Sullivan Thorpe
Co-hosts: Joanna Fleming, Arnika Joshi Smith

Overview

This episode dives into how SheerLuxe has transformed the women's digital media landscape, discussing its recent $54M acquisition by Future PLC and exploring what made the brand unique. Alongside this, the hosts break down key pop culture and fashion moments from the week, highlight Australian fashion talent, and discuss Khloe Kardashian’s rumored exit from Good American. The episode blends industry insights, fashion commentary, and a fun, conversational tone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

[00:18] Fashion Pop Culture Moments: Grammys & Wuthering Heights Press Tour

• Grammys Fashion Favorites:
  • Olivia Dean in custom Chanel, Chapel Rhone’s archival Mugler-inspired look, and Hailey Bieber’s paired-back, diamond-heavy ensemble.
  • Political statements on the red carpet noted, especially accessorizing with “ice out” pins for causes.
  • Discussion on jewelry spotlighting Justin and Hailey Bieber’s diamonds.
• Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi’s Wuthering Heights Looks:
  • Hosts gush over Margot's custom Schiaparelli—“the epitome of fashion right now and innovation.” (Madison, 04:21)
  • Both praised for method dressing; Margot’s stylist Andrew McCarmel credited for building character-driven looks post-Barbie press tour.
  • Margot and Jacob’s chemistry, with playful banter about their public personas.
  • Margot’s dual “Goth Barbie-coated” and modern minimalist style highlighted.

Memorable Moment:

• “She looked phenomenal. That—I love everything Schiaparelli at the moment. I think that is like the epitome of fashion right now and innovation.” — Madison, [04:21]

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[08:36] Hot Topics Swap Segment:

• Animal Print Trends:
  • Bambi print — a camel-colored, delicate spotted pattern — is set for resurgence, spotted at major fashion weeks and on Sophie Richie Grange.
  • Leopard making a major comeback (Joanna: “Every time I’ve ever donated or sold something in a leopard print, I have immediately regretted it…This is not a trend to me. This is—I love this.” [10:22])
• Personal Style Confessions:
  • Madison’s unexpected love for UFC, childhood Shania Twain leopard obsession, and reflections on enduring trends.
• TikTok Style Inspo:
  • “My Friend Hannah” TikTok account praised for real, diverse fashion inspo beyond influencers.
• Australian Indie Brands Shoutout:
  • Boobish (outerwear), Overpact (travel bags), Something Sebastian (baby blankets), and boutique Alyssa in Adelaide recognized for innovation and style.

Quote:

• “Leopard is some people’s like, stripe. Like, there are some people that live in a leopard print. And I’m so here for it.” — Madison, [11:44]

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[17:28] Khloe Kardashian Rumored Exit from Good American

• Origins & Founders:
  • Good American co-founded by Khloe Kardashian and Emma Grede in 2016. Emma deeply embedded in Kardashian business ventures (Skims, Safely).
• Speculation Evidence:
  • Khloe hasn’t posted about Good American since August 2024; Fabletics collab now prominent.
  • Instagram follows/unfollows scrutinized for drama (Emma still follows Kardashian family, but Khloe doesn’t follow Emma).
• Analysis of Power Dynamics:
  • Emma Grede framed as the real driving force, with industry experience and operational expertise.
  • Reflection on how brands grow beyond celebrity founders, citing Skims as an example.
  • Discussion on possible contractual arrangements and what it means for the brand’s future.

Notable Quote:

• “I feel like Emma Grede is the driving force. I feel like she is the mastermind, the powerhouse. ...I don't really feel like [Khloe’s] presence has been missed or lost. I think the brand's still going to succeed. I think it's still going to do incredible things without Khloe, because I just think Emma Grede is such a driving force.” — Arnika, [20:11]

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[25:22] The SheerLuxe Acquisition: How Digital Native Disrupted Women’s Media

• Acquisition Details:
  • SheerLuxe and Blush Talent acquired by Future PLC for $53.9M; Future PLC also owns Marie Claire and Who What Wear.
  • SheerLuxe founded by Georgie Coleridge Cole, known for influencer-centric, community-driven content and representing its own staff as talent.
• Business Model Innovations:
  • Staff as media personalities and influencers; blending digital publishing and talent management.
  • Community-led content cited as key differentiator.
  • Discussion of the risks of personnel-driven brands and how SheerLuxe has embraced it by managing and representing the talent themselves.
• Legacy Media Disruption:
  • Hosts frame this as legacy media “buying the new world”: “If you can’t beat it, buy it.” (Madison, [30:52])
  • Caution raised over potential for corporate red tape and hope that SheerLuxe’s authentic, relatable tone remains intact post-acquisition.
• US Expansion:
  • Anticipation and skepticism about future plans for a US edition, noting the need to localize personalities and culture.
• Financials:
  • Quoting 2025 revenue (£12.6M), strong EBITDA (£5.1M, 40% margin), digital audience (6M+), sizable social/email/YouTube following.
  • Leadership team celebrated for success (matching tattoos upon sale!).

Notable Quotes:

• “I always had this saying in the beauty world, if you can't beat it, buy it. Which is usually what I think conglomerates like Estée Lauder or L'Oreal do… I think this is an example of heritage media buying the new world and going, we can't beat them, we'll buy them.” — Madison, [30:52]
• “What they do incredibly well is cool girl but approachable. Publishers like Vogue cannot replicate that even if they try to.” — Joanna, [31:17]

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[34:05] AI in Media: The "Reembot" at SheerLuxe

• The team discusses SheerLuxe’s venture into AI with the “Reembot,” an AI staff member/influencer who participates in podcasts and social.
• Responses range from fascination to unease (“Reembot still freaks me the fuck out.” — Joanna, [34:01]).

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Grammys and Red Carpet Fashion: 00:30–03:59
• Wuthering Heights Press Tour / Margot & Jacob: 03:59–08:36
• Trend Swap — Animal Prints, TikTok, Australian Brands: 08:36–15:45
• Khloe Kardashian & Good American: 17:28–24:34
• SheerLuxe Acquisition Discussion: 25:22–35:33
• AI in Media ("Reembot") & Final Thoughts: 34:05–35:33

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “She's so Goth Barbie coated. Like, everything that she's putting out there at the moment has been so impeccable.” — Arnika, [05:44]
• “What [SheerLuxe] does incredibly well is cool girl, but approachable. Publishers like Vogue cannot replicate that even if they try to.” — Joanna, [31:17]
• “If you can’t beat it, buy it. ...I think this is an example of heritage media buying the new world and going, we can't beat them, we'll buy them.” — Madison, [30:52]
• “Leopard is some people’s like, stripe. Like, there are some people that live in a leopard print. And I’m so here for it.” — Madison, [11:44]

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Tone & Style

Light, witty, and conversational—balancing savvy industry commentary with playful friendship and pop culture obsession. The hosts maintain a welcoming, inclusive tone and showcase insider knowledge while being open about their personal interests and quirks.

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Conclusion

This Style-ish episode artfully weaves together fashion commentary, business analysis, and light-hearted banter to spotlight the transformation of women’s digital media through the lens of SheerLuxe’s disruptive rise and acquisition. Listeners are left with insight into trend forecasting, fashion business dynamics, and the evolving relationship between media brands, influencers, and their communities.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Dan Murphy's Find out what's new now and next when it comes to trending drinks.

[C]

This is Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, lifestyle, brand, and beauty. My name is Madison Sullivan Thorpe. I'm joined today by my lovely co hosts, Joanna Fleming and Arnika Joshi Smith.

[B]

Hello. It's a big day today for news. We're just all trying to catch up. We obviously record on a Monday afternoon, which we've told our audience before, but the episode comes out Wednesday mornings. So we're just getting all of this Grammys content right now, and we're processing the Wuthering Heights press tour. There's a lot to.

[C]

The Devil Wears Prada trailer. The second trailer has come out, which I haven't seen.

[B]

I just found out about this right now that this is available.

[C]

I usually wrap up work half an hour before leaving to come here and record. And I. I just had such a great 30 minutes on my phone. I was like, what a day to devour content. I just loved it. Okay, let's start with the Grammys. I know that, as we said, we all work, so, like, it's not like we're free float time on the phone. As much as I'd love a little phone rot day on a Monday, what did we love? Who did we love?

[B]

My favorite look had to be Olivia Dean.

[C]

Oh, she looks phenomenal in custom Chanel, nonetheless.

[B]

Yes. The most interesting, I would say, was Chapel Roanoke.

[C]

Mm. There was a lot of Chapel Rhone on display.

[B]

Yes, there was. There was. If anyone hasn't seen it, there was two bits of fabric attached to two nipple rings. Yeah, it was breast exposed.

[C]

Yeah, look, at first I was like, what the helly? And then I saw that it is inspired. It was Mugler Custom. Mugler. I'm sure I'm butchering that pronunciation, but forgive me for not sticking with French past year nine. It's actually inspired by an archival Runway look, I believe from the 80s, but it still didn't stop at shocking me to speak my truth. True. I just want to nod to where the look has come from.

[A]

Yeah, I'm all about a liar, and I'm obsessed with Addison Ray's, like, white, plunging neckline look. And then also Hailey Bieber. I feel like she also wore a liar, but she did it in, like, a really sheer and subtle, beautiful way. But I've been loving the political statements we're also saying on the red carpet and through the speeches, the ice out pins. I just. Yeah. Are for it.

[C]

That was the ultimate accessory.

[A]

Ultimate accessory.

[C]

I saw an incredible creator. Her name is Julia Shafe. She is a jeweler based in the US she actually decided to deep dive on the jewelry. Justin Bieber had a hundred carats around his neck on the diamond chain, or it wasn't even really a chain. I suppose it's just diamonds at that point.

[A]

Drip, drip, daddy.

[C]

Hailey Bieber also had like the most incredible diamonds I have ever seen on. She had a pear shape on her engagement ring. She had a ginormous pair around her neck and matching pair earrings. And also Tate McCrae had a pretty, pretty epic emerald cut diamond around her neck as well.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

As someone who loves to frost themselves, I obviously really enjoyed seeing the jewelry that was on display. But I loved Hayley's look. But I also thought it was quite simple and paired back for her, which I have a theory. She's always worn a paired back look to the Grammys because she wants it to be about Justin. Yeah.

[B]

I also think it was a little bit tied into that political statement as well, though. They really wanted those pins to stand out on their outfits and not have the outfit be the moment come through.

[A]

And I loved as well when Justin performed Yukon and then he was just, you know, down to the briefs. She was like, there's my man.

[C]

I loved the little standing on business a thousand percent. I mean, so many moments. I was saying off mic, I love the Grammys for, like the entertainment. It's like my favorite award show to like sit down and watch. But I do have to say I'm so excited for the Oscars because I always think the Oscars red carpet is the best red carpet of the sort of award season.

[B]

So that leads us into the press tour for Wuthering Heights with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, obviously, two very iconic Australian actors.

[A]

They are the creme de la creme of Aussie talent.

[B]

I definitely would not want to be Margot Robbie's husband, that's for sure.

[C]

I'm weak at the knees times too. I've got nothing to add that's appropriate for microphones.

[B]

Favorite looks of the press tour so far.

[C]

It was at the world premiere when she was in the custom Schiaparelli. I thought that was absolutely incredible. I think that is arguably her best red carp ever. I saw it and I was like, like it really just. She looked phenomenal. That I love everything Schiaparelli at the moment. I think that is like the epitome of fashion right now and innovation. And it was just breathtaking. All of it and him at that. He also looked fantastic.

[A]

There's honestly, like, no words that we can say that are appropriate for Jacob at this point.

[B]

Like, I have to move past him.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

My TikTok feed is literally just like, thirst trap edits of him. And I'm so not mad about the algorithm.

[A]

Honestly, when we were reading up on the notes for the EP today, I was just dying at also, like, at how nonchalant Margot was when she was speaking about him and her group of friends. Just been so thirsty, like little hyenas for him. I was just like, me too, hun. Like, me too. Like, tell us how you really feel. It made me love her so much more because he was just sitting there like, I know, no big deal. And I was just like, I love this chemistry between you two. Like, I would also hate to be her husband.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

What looks have you guys loved the most?

[B]

I really loved the white feathered mini by Victoria Becker. That was a really stunning look. Loved her hair and makeup in that as well. I know that was a much more simpler look than the others that she's done so far, but I just really thought she looked so beautiful.

[A]

I think you guys have both nailed it. Like, I loved exactly both looks that you've said, and I just love seeing how she's so Goth Barbie coated. Like, everything that she's putting out there at the moment has been so impeccable.

[B]

I think it really ties into that method dressing that she did for Barbie with her stylist.

[C]

Andrew McCarmel is her stylist. He worked with her on the Barbie press tour and he's done Wuthering Heights as well.

[B]

And we can see that method dressing coming through here.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Again, same kind of strategy of having her really come into the role during the press tour. And it's. She's nailing it.

[C]

Yeah. And I think the reason I'm loving this so much, like, I adored Barbie. I think that is arguably one of the best press tour, like, looks and just the amount of, like, press events and activities there were. But I think the Barbie one, there was this really clear place to go and reference. Like, they went straight into Barbie's archive of obviously Mattel Barbie being, you know, years and years old, being able to pull from those looks, hand them to designers and be inspired. I think why I'm loving this one is it's like, you have to be inspired by the story and the elements. There isn't, like, an archival look to go and, like, add your 20% flair to not to discredit The Barbie press tour, by any means, because I adored that. But if you want to talk method dressing, I do love the face to face we did with Elliot Garner. He spoke about this really well and just leaning into method dressing in everyday life as well as referencing Barbie and Andrew, but obsessed.

[B]

I was loving the comments on our collab post with the shameless pod and our pod. Yeah, they were just. There was a really good comments in there. Someone wrote, that's our gal from Ramsey Street. Someone also said, this needs to go on my mood board for 2026. She looks incredible. And these heels look like they would feel like a medieval torture device. I think I know the shoes that this person was wearing.

[A]

I know the exact one. The arch was so high, like, so high. Christian Louboutin would be like, yes, we're going to bring that shoe back.

[C]

Honestly, the red bottoms, like, I just. All of it. I'm obsessed.

[B]

I think they'll be paying for ankle reconst.

[A]

Speaking of all of the press, I do have to shout out to January Vogue because Christine Centenora just did an incredible feature on Jacob and Margo. And have you guys seen it? Because, like, I'm literally so obsessed with.

[C]

All of the looks I like, don't have, again, anything appropriate to say. I felt things that you should feel when looking at a magazine cover.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. Like again, homegrown talent. Christine Centenary is like one of my favorite stylists and just seeing what she has done as creative director, but then putting her Aussie spin on their looks as well. With all of, like, the most recent looks from, like, B, everything has been five star chef's kiss. Like, it's a little bit more modern. Have a look. It's so good.

[C]

Are you feeling feelings, Jo?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Inappropriate feelings.

[B]

Put that away. Now you're married.

[C]

Okay. It's inappropriate.

[B]

All right, well, today we are discussing Khloe Kardashian's alleged surprise exit from her denim brand, Good American, and why she Lux's acquisition sale is worth talking about. But first, what do we want to swap in this week? Annika, you're very close to going on to mat leave, so I don't know who I'm going to throw to first while you're away.

[C]

It better be me.

[A]

I know our, like, new little friend in my chair.

[B]

Who are they going to be then? You've got to swap seats.

[C]

Oh, I wonder. We know, but we're obviously not disclosing that yet.

[A]

Surprise for the audience. Hello, everybody. Welcome back. Anyway, so Animal print is obviously no New news to anybody, but there is a resurgence coming. I've been checking in on Copenhagen Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week. We're about to kick off New York next week. And what do you think is going to be one of the animal print trends coming up? Hit me.

[C]

I mean, I know what it is. I just didn't know that we were calling it what you're going to call it.

[A]

Okay, what is it? Bambi. I know our cute little fawn. So Bambi is making a huge resurgence, and that's, like, that really beautiful. It's almost a little bit more delicate, like, camel base, really fine white spots, really, really chic. Obviously, faux. We love not real Bambi, but Corelli is a brand that I am so obsessed with. C A R E L L I. And they do the chicest outerwear, and it's, like, all over my feed. I'm seeing so much of it. Sophia Richie, Grange, atelier. She's also doing a lot of Bambi coming through on her looks, but if, like, that's not for you, you can always touch on the trends via sunglasses, accessories, some cute little shoes as well. But I feel like it's going to be a biggie for us this winter.

[C]

I also feel like it's not as intimidating or aggressive as maybe, like, a zebra print or a cheetah or, like.

[A]

Just, like, raw leopard.

[C]

Yeah. I am going to invest in a leopard quote this year, though. Oh, I've. I know the one I'm getting. It's a Frankie shop jacket. I'm obsessed with it. I. Every time I've ever donated or sold something in a leopard print, I have immediately regretted it because I'm like, this is not a trend to me. This is. I love this.

[B]

I'm. I actually can't imagine you and leopard Free night.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Struggling to process this fun character arc.

[C]

This is actually my new game. Maybe this is my swap. My favorite swap is, like, what is the character arc? Like? What is something about you that someone would be like, well, that is so not what I would expect from you.

[B]

Like, what?

[C]

It's so off brand.

[A]

I have so many for you.

[C]

Like, I mean, I have so many. One of mine is that I love ufc.

[B]

I know this is the other day, and Annika and I were like, what?

[C]

I know.

[A]

I was, like, slightly, like, nervous about that comment. I was like, what is this, like, side of you that I haven't quite seen? Is she aggressive? Is she small and feisty?

[C]

You take me to a ringside fight and I'll show you, baby doll. This Side of me. I'll show you how excited I get. I was there when Ronda Rousey's ass got kicked by Holly Holm. But really it was historic. But really, I was obsessed with Shania Twain as a small girl. So I used to literally. No, like. I mean, like five, six. Like, I was burning the house down singing Shania and was like, I think mum and I joke. Like, one of the only times she ever saw me have a tantrum is when she would not buy me a leopard goat because I wanted one like Shania. So maybe it's just coming through that now I'm an adult with free will and I can Shania try myself out.

[A]

I'm here for this. Honestly, leopard is some people's like, stripe. Like, there are some people that live in a leopard print. And I'm so here for it. I can actually see you, Jo.

[B]

Yeah, I love a leopard print.

[A]

Envision the nanny Fran. Like, can we see it with the.

[B]

Hair and the coat?

[A]

The three quarter coat? Yeah, I can see it for you on.

[C]

I forget.

[A]

We could have sent you another one.

[C]

I do love my show too.

[B]

I'll let you style me.

[A]

Yeah, done.

[B]

You can style me as Fran.

[A]

Mommy's ready.

[C]

I still stand by. We need a shopping day where we all get to dress each other.

[A]

How have I not done that yet?

[C]

I don't know. You have the baby and then we'll go.

[A]

Okay. Your place.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah.

[C]

I kind of gave a bonus swap there. And no, it wasn't a UFC. My swap is a TikTok account called My friend Hannah. It is one of her girlfriends, Liv, otherwise affectionately known as Livy in the videos, who films her friend Hannah's outfits every day. And she just turns such a look. I stand by that. Some of the best dressed people and best outfits I see are ones that don't end up on the Internet. So I love that Livvy has taken this into her own hands and is filming Hannah. I did see on one of the videos that Livy is having a baby. So, Hannah, I think I'm local to you and I am available to come and film your outfits because I'd love to see your wardrobe, selfishly, not in.

[B]

A weird stalker way that, you know, she's from Melbourne. Also, I love her video. She in my feed. And if I was Hannah's friend, I would also insist on filming her and posting it on TikTok.

[C]

And she just pulls such looks together. And what I love is like, you know, she can be wearing something from Bottega and then the next video she's wearing something from H and M or from Zara. Like she really plays with Hilo. She has an exceptionally good wardrobe and jewelry collection. But I'm obsessed. I love it. And she's also not like a 20 year old girl on TikTok. Yeah, sorry, 20 year old girls on Tick Tock. Love you too. But I also love seeing someone who's got kids and like got their flair and. Yeah, she's incredible.

[A]

Amy says you're speaking to me.

[C]

Yeah. Jo, our lucky last.

[B]

My swap is going to be a few gals from little old Adelaide because I feel like Melbourne and Sydney, we give them a lot of attention, but Adelaide does not get a lot of attention. I did live there for a period and I am traumatized from it, so I won't be going back. But I love that there are some lovely girls and very talented girls that live in Adelaide and some of those girls. You may have heard me speak about the brand Boobish before. Yeah, Bubbish. I say Boobish.

[C]

One of my favorite jackets is from them.

[B]

So I've got a lot of their outerwear. I just love their designs. They do amazing stuff. And that is run by two girls from Adelaide and they are just doing exceptionally well. And you see that brand on like major celebrities like Hailey Bieber and people like that, it's just. They're killing it.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And then also Brooke Upton is from Adelaide as well and she has a brand called Overpact. It's like a overnight bag kind of travel brand. And Jess Stover has her baby blanket brand called Something Sebastian. She does like cotton baby blankets with a little name plate, like leather name plate on it. Gorgeous. Yeah. So really cute. And I just wanted to shout out some girls that aren't in Melbourne and Sydney that are doing amazing things business wise.

[A]

I love that. Oh, jinx.

[C]

Get out of my brain.

[A]

Do you know what I actually have to say? Adelaide has got some incredible talent coming out of like Adelaide as a whole. Like we deal with Adelaide and Adelaide retailers and actual fashion designers from Adelaide as well. Quite a lot at work. There's a really cool store which I'm obsessed with called Alyssa. Have you guys seen the founder, Jasmine? Oh my God. Everything like speaks to all of us, like very curated, very minimal. What she does is so chic and I think she found a real niche just having like simplistic like layering pieces in her store as well.

[C]

She. I don't know if she still has them, but she has these wicker basket bags. Yes, I have the little one the teeny one. When I was at Mecca, we were using the big ones for a press event. But love her and she has really cool style if you need like a little account.

[A]

Totally got so many bonus swaps. I know. I love her idioms as well. She just is like such like a cool down to earth girl. Love Adelaide. Girls.

[C]

I love this.

[A]

And boys. Sorry, I just love Adelaide.

[C]

We love wine.

[A]

I love the Barossa.

[B]

Well, next we are diving into Chloe Kardashian's alleged exit from Good American. But that will be right after a word from today's sponsor. Don't get me wrong, I love working my way through Melbourne's best restaurants and wine bars, but there's something about staying in and hosting at home, especially if you're not afraid of getting a little creative. I recently saw this idea for a cute girls night and I had to share. Basically you host a dinner party. Each person is assigned an entree, main or dessert. But here's the best bit. They also bring a drink pairing of their choice. This is where Dan Murphy's comes in handy because they're incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to what's new, what's trending and what will go perfectly with whatever you're serving. Just chat to someone in store or jump on the app to get some inspo. And if you're keen to reduce your alcohol intake or even take a break, they've got you covered. There's a bunch of delicious low and no alcohol beer and wine, including the Sorbet Lemon Prosecco Petaluma Lumos Sauv Blanc and the Y series lighter Shiraz, which quite frankly scream. Girls Night in Dan Murphy's has the biggest and best range. Whether you're hosting at home or just in the mood for something different, remember to choose to drink wise. And a huge thank you to Dan Murphy's for making this episode of Stylish possible. All right, so Khloe Kardashian has allegedly left Good American. And this has come about because we saw a content creator, Georgie James, put out a video on January 26 that sparked a bit of speculation. Now, if you're not familiar with Good American, they are a size inclusive denim brand that Chloe co founded with British businesswoman and entrepreneur Emma greed in 2016. Emma is also a founding partner of Skims, so it's very intertwined within the Kardashian Jenner businesses. She also co founded Safely, which is a cleaning brand with Kris Jenner as well. So she's very heavily involved in these three.

[C]

Yes. And Chrissy taken was originally in that as well.

[B]

Oh, was she? Okay, that's news to me.

[C]

Yeah. Oh, well, you heard it here first.

[B]

So we're gonna play you a clip from this TikTok that we saw so that you can understand the context a.

[D]

Little bit more, I think Khloe Kardashian has left her brand, Good American. She hasn't done a grid post about good American since August 2024. So it's been a year and four months since she's posted about the brand on her main feed. Meanwhile, she has been promoting her collaboration with Fabletics heavily. I would consider Fabletics to be a competitor of Good American. Not directly, of course, because they're not in denim. But Good American expanded into general casual wear, like T shirts, bodysuits, sweatshirts, hoodies. Basically, a lot of the stuff that Chloe advertises now for Fabletics is sold at GoodAmerican. This exact tee is sold at Good American. But she tagged her sister's brand, Kai, which also sells a very similar T shirt. Also, in Chloe's Instagram bio, goodamerican is not linked, but Fabletics is, of course.

[B]

So Emma still has Good American tagged in her Instagram bio, according to this creator, from that clip that we just played, but from her investigations and our own, because we also dug just to make sure that this was accurate. Chloe is not following Emma on Instagram, but Emma still follows Chloe and Kim. From my own investigations, Kim still follows Emma and so does Chris.

[C]

I bet she does, because Kim's got a $5 billion valuation on her business. I'd be keeping that relationship really nice if I was Kim.

[B]

So as much as that seems a little bit sus, we'll deep it a little bit. But I don't know if there's a full family feud happening with them or if there's just been something that's happened between Emma and Chloe. But we'll. We'll get to that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

According to Newsweek, greed has played a central leadership role at the company, running the brand from its launch and being widely recognized as its driving force. The timing is very interesting, too, because over the last year, Emma's been in the public eye more than ever. She's been steadily growing her profile. We've actually spoken about her a lot on this podcast, and she's kind of like an influencer. She's a podcaster now. She's doing a lot for her own personal brand. She's also about to release her first book. She appeared on the diary of a CEO in May 2025, which is when A lot of people kind of discovered who she was and that she was actually a real driving force behind the Kardashians businesses. So what do you think about the timing and the strategy behind this alleged exit? Because we actually don't have it confirmed from the Kardashians that Khloe has left. My opinion is that that was very strategic if this has happened. So, like, if we're positioning it that way, I think that that's been very strategic. To not mention that she has left or not publicize that she has stepped away from the business because they wouldn't want that to negatively impact the brand because she was so tied to Good American. It featured in their show countless times and she was clearly quite involved in it. What do you guys think?

[A]

I'm on the fence about this one. Like, okay, correct me or forgive me if I'm wrong here, but I feel like Emma Grade is the driving force. I feel like she is the mastermind, the powerhouse. And she has proved that through all of the ventures that she's invested in. Everything that she's doing with the Kardashian family is like proof of that. But I also just think that 10 years in business is a long time. And Chloe, 2016 versus 2026, two different.

[C]

People, even though 2016 is back.

[A]

Oh, is it ever. The millennials, honey. But feel like where she was then versus where she is now, does the synergy still make sense? Does the partnership still align? And I feel like sometimes acquired ex as well can be, yes, a little sus. But at the same time, I don't really feel like her presence been missed or lost. I think the brand's still going to succeed. I think it's still going to do incredible things without Chloe, because I just think immigrate is such a driving force.

[B]

It's also possible, right, that maybe they had a 10 year agreement for her to stay at the brand for that long and then she would have the option to be able to stay, step away and focus on other things if the opportunities arose. And she's got her own podcast now. She's got her like protein snack brand cloud, I think.

[A]

Popcorn.

[B]

Yeah. So she's got other avenues that she's working on. Maybe that was the case.

[C]

Yeah. And it's not uncommon for brands of this size and scale that there would be a contractual agreement about how many years front facing, how many PR events they need to be attending, how many, you know, front facing interviews and things like that. Where, and not to sound salacious or gossipy, where I am confused is if this was a really amicable split or a contractual agreement coming to the end, why are you unfollowing someone who is so tied to your family business and who has helped you co found this very large business? At a point in time that's where.

[B]

I got stuck because I was doing these notes and I'm looking through everything and I'm deep diving and I'm like, okay, well Kim still follows her crystal. Why this unfollow? But maybe she never followed her. Maybe she just like didn't have her on socials for some reason.

[C]

Also, I just feel like because of the amount of publicity and support that Chloe went into building this, sure, there may have been a buyout structure or an option. I think what's really important is that even though Emma is the co founder of this, her husband Jeans Greed is also one of the co founders of sk. He's involved in Skims. I believe he's currently the CEO of the business. But Jeans actually co founded Frame. And if you want to listen to a great podcast, I highly recommend that you listen to Aspire by Emma where she interviews her husband. But it's an incredible story. So this whole like, knowledge of denim and this industry is clearly coming from the great household. No matter how many pairs of jeans Chloe had worn or tried on, you know, their operational capabilities and context of that landscape and category is unmatched. Emma and Jeans are obviously building these brands alongside arguably the most famous faces in the world. Love them or loathe them, that's irrelevant. They are incredibly famous. What will be very interesting to see is how these brands go as they sort of eclipse and grow out outside of their celebrity founders. And you even look at skims and the amount of celebrities they've used in campaigns now, I think it's very safe to say they've stepped away from Kim representing this brand in the entirety. Is she still fronting Nike, skims and things like that? Absolutely. She's still heavily involved, but I think the exposure and reliance on her has been minimized a lot as that brand's progressed. I would say the same was happening with Good American. Chloe hasn't posted on her socials about good American since 2024. It does just go to show, like, has this brand eclipse her? It's, you know, been years in the making of building. She's no doubt helped build its profile, but maybe now it's bigger than Chloe.

[B]

I'm surprised that nobody has deep this before this creator.

[A]

Yeah, totally.

[B]

That time frame that nobody thought, that's weird that she hasn't posted in like, even three months because she was heavily posting about them.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I do wonder whether this has anything to do with the Fabletics collab and maybe that was making her more money or there was just more there for her in terms of.

[A]

Of growth. That's interesting to me because I'm like, for me, that's a complete conflict of interest. So contractually, I'm like, how do they work around these? And is that part of the exit, perhaps? The alleged exit.

[C]

Sorry, yeah, alleged. Big emphasis on the alleged. I think this is a wait and see. I feel we will get more out of this. More will come.

[B]

Imagine we're back next week and we're like, actually, Chloe called. She's still very much there.

[C]

So I just want to really, really clear, if Emma Grade or Kris Jenner want to call and say anything, I'm. I'm ready. I'm on screen.

[B]

Just call Taylor up.

[C]

Yeah, in this case, call Mads. I'll take it will be much easier than calling Taylor Swift, I can assure you. Okay, next, we're discussing Sheerlux's acquisition sale, but that will be right after a word from today's sponsor.

[B]

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[C]

Okay, now our next headline is a big one, and it kind of came from all of you, our audience. We had so many DMs asking us to share our thoughts on this, but Sheila acquisition is something we were all talking about. And it looks like you were all talking about it too.

[B]

Well, we weren't sure whether we would cover it. And then when we all met for our whip meeting, we were like, oh, okay, well, we're getting a lot of DMs about this, so everyone's clearly as interested as us, but we thought it was just because we're industry. Yeah, we're seeing this stuff all the time. We thought it was just an us thing.

[C]

Do you ever feel as pompous as saying the word industry? People. Because that is like the most pompous thing I've ever said by being like, you know, because we're in the industry.

[A]

Honestly all the time, like sometimes even when people ask me what I do, I like, like shutter, like I work in fashion, I'm in the industry.

[C]

Okay? So a little background for those of you who may have missed it. Last week it was announced that digital lifestyle publication Sheer Lux and its sister influencer agency Blush Talent Management Limited have been acquired by British media group Future plc. Shelux was founded in 2007 by Georgie Coleridge Cole and has become known for its on the pulse in office content creation and vlog. Blush Talent Management was founded in 2023 to represent much of Sheer Lux's staff, many of whom have become influencers in their own right. Some of you may even remember that we interviewed Sapna Rao on Face to Face, our first ever series. She is definitely a media personality and influencer in her own right now. But according to the business of fashion, the 53.9 million dollar acquisition of Shelux and Blush Talent Management is intended to diversify future's audience and strengthen its fashion and beauty vertical. Future PLC also operates Marie Claire and who, what, where and reportedly plans to eventually launch a US edition of Sheer Lux. Obviously, she Lux is a machine. It is a media conglomerate. They have the podcast, they have their talent management arm, they have the content and vlogs that we've just spoken about. We actually have a TikTok from a creator, Ben Gallagher 09, who has some great thoughts. So let's listen to this one.

[A]

For nearly 20 years, it's found a way to compete with behemoths like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. By offering a fresh approach to publishing.

[C]

That leans into digital rather than traditional.

[A]

Print media, Sheer Looks have pioneered a modern way of communication by focusing on community.

[C]

Okay, thanks Ben. That was perfectly summarized. Really?

[A]

I love his exact.

[C]

I know it's quite. It sounds like the calm app. Like I could go to sleep.

[A]

I found it really therapeutic to listen to.

[C]

But back to Sheer Lux, what were both of your first impressions when you read about this?

[B]

I was really happy for them, but also I didn't know about she Lux until maybe like three or four years ago and I started following all of the girls that work there and I started consuming all of their content. I actually didn't know it was a 20 year old brand.

[A]

Yeah, I'm with you, Jo. I actually. They became on my radar because of Sapna and I just love her style. I mean, as a woman of Color as well. I identify more with her and I just love how present she was on socials to the point where I actually thought she Lux was her. Like, I think they do such an incredible job at creating content centric around their employees, around their work life, and they were so ahead of the trend when it came to actually putting their employees first. That's really what captured my attention.

[B]

I actually love that you've said that because that that segues into a point that I was going to make, which is actually a huge risk for the brand and it's being that reliant on staff members that work for you. But I also thought it was very interesting that they sold the talent management agency as well, which I did not realize was owned by them until this article came out. Which is so smart from their perspective, to have that and represent all these girls that are now influencers.

[A]

It's actually genius.

[B]

It really is. It really is. Because a lot of these businesses would discourage them having their own profiles outside of this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it does present a bit of a risk factor for the business because if they become, you know, bigger than the brand or they're, as you said you thought that she likes was Sapner's brand.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It kind of does create a little bit of a problem.

[C]

Yeah. But I think they've mitigated that problem by going, yes, we know as a byproduct of our success, you two are going to have personal success.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

We're going to help build your.

[B]

We're going to represent you while we.

[C]

Build ours as well. Yeah.

[B]

100%.

[C]

We both grow. No one's shorter than the other. We're all getting tall together.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Pretty incredible stuff. I loved this. I was like, all the flowers. I just thought this was phenomenal work. Exactly. To Ben's point. Like the rivalry that they now have with, you know, legacy media like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar is incredible to me. They are a media machine in and of their own. Right. The speed at which they get out content, the scrappiness, but also the hi fi. Like they know what content works on what platforms and I think it's sort of community fed and community led. And they've, you know, done this amazing job at making sure it feels really authentic and like you're pulling up a desk chair next to your, you know, work wife and your office bestie. And we've seen these legacy publications follow suit trying to replicate it and no one's buying it. Or if they are, it's then like I thought people at Vogue would dress Better than this. We haven't seen that at Sheerlux. I always had this saying in the beauty world, if you can't beat it, buy it. Which is usually what I think. Conglomerates like Estee Lauder or l', Oreal, do they think that someone's like coming for their turf, they'll buy them.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I think this is an example of heritage media buying the new world and going, we can't beat them, we'll buy them.

[B]

I just really hope that they leave them alone because the worst thing would be for them to come in and be like, oh, here are the, you know, boundaries around what you can and can't do and stifle their creativity and their boldness.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because what they do incredibly well is cool girl, but approachable.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

Publishers like Vogue cannot replicate that even if they try to.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I really hope, because they have who, what, where, and they have Marie Claire and these other kind of, you know, publishing houses that they don't influence the content coming out of she likes too much. And they just let them do what they're going to do.

[A]

We don't want that corporate red tape. Like, we want to make sure it still remains Sheer Lux, authentic, relatable. Because I think that's what they've done so well is capture our attention. How I consume media now is in bite sized, small, like little bitsy pieces. Like, gone are the days of reading the newspaper or like even watching the evening news. Like, this is how I get my news source and like my information. They've captured attention in such a meaningful way.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

I really love your point, Joe. I'm with you. I hope there's no corporate red tape for them. If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if they were grabbing the C suite of Sheer Lux and going, can you come into our other businesses and help other. So, you know, when you buy businesses like this for these kind of prices, very often there will be a tenure that has to be guaranteed of, you know, either your CEO or your managing director or key sort of personnel that they identify as integral to the business. They can be anywhere from like 2 years to like 10 years. So I have no doubt that there are very, very long contracts locked in to part of this that guarantees tenure.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Or bonuses if they stay for, you know, certain periods. Because so much of Sheer Lux has also been built on personnel and personality. So I think this valuation didn't shock me at all. I know a lot of people were surprised by the price. This is big, big business. And this is a very commercialized Business.

[B]

Well, it's interesting that you mentioned the price, because a really good quote from Ben Gallagher's video that we played part of before, he said, why such a high price tag on Shelux? Well, Shelux boasts a portfolio of digital brands that reaches an audience of more than 6 million people, including 2 1/2 million monthly page views, 2.4 million social media followers, 900,000 email subscribers, and 400,000 YouTube subscribers. And in 2025, it generated revenue of 12.6 million.

[C]

And their EBITDA was really strong. EBITDA is essentially the bottom line dollar figure you get to after all of your expenses and taxes. I didn't want to get this wrong, so I've got it up just on my phone to make sure I get this right. They generated revenue of 12.6 million pounds and an EBITDA of $5.1 million in the 12 months to September of last year, representing a 40% margin. You don't get margins like that unless you're selling product.

[A]

It's so, so impressive.

[C]

This is just astronomical. Like all the flowers to the girls. I did see that their senior leadership team went and got matching tattoos, which I thought was, like, so badass. I've never had a tattoo. I don't know, but maybe if I sold something for $60 million, I'd go and get a tattoo, too.

[B]

Oh, I love that. I'm not gonna lie, though. Reebot still freaks me the fuck out.

[C]

Oh, yeah, yeah, no, that's a hard pass for me.

[B]

The AI generated robot.

[A]

Wait, what? What's the Reambot?

[B]

Reembot is their AI influencer or, like, staff member that they have. So she's on, like, the podcast. She's got her own socials.

[A]

Wait, what?

[B]

Yeah, look at Reembot.

[C]

She's not a real person.

[B]

She's not real.

[C]

She's like an AI robot.

[B]

Yeah, there was a lot of drama around it when they did.

[C]

It's like. It's. She's not like a, like, iRobot walks in vibe. She's like.

[B]

She's a real person. She looks real.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[A]

She's chic. I love her.

[B]

Hello, Real.

[C]

It's not like an actual robot, though, Just so you know.

[A]

She's my avatar. Yeah.

[B]

I guess so.

[C]

Like, sure.

[A]

Boomer, what are you trying to identify?

[C]

And closer to 49, what I'm definitely going to be watching in this is the potential US expansion because we have an affinity for them, you know, those in the uk, vice versa. I'm intrigued to see how they translate that into the US Because I don't think the US personality is as similar or receptive as sort of the way that we've embraced their UK team. And because it is, as I said, so personnel and personality led finding those personalities and personnel, they, I think Americans like Americans the most. So they're gonna have to find American talent to build and cultivate a culture that mimics that of what they've got in their uk.

[B]

That is gonna be such a huge challenge.

[A]

Well, look, they welcome Dana Wintour. So hopefully we can have the Wintour effect as well here.

[C]

But that is all for this week's episode of Stylish. Thank you so much for join us. I can assure you we are three real life women. There is no AI in this room. And of course a pleasure as always, being joined by Joanna Fleming and Annika Joshi Smith.

[B]

And you, Mads.

[C]

And remember, you can drop us an email anytime at style-ishameless media.com or you can slide into our DMS over at Stylish Pod. Of course, a big thank you to the shameless media team who make all of this possible. Head of podcast Lucy Hunt and senior podcast producer Kate Emma Burke. We'll be right back here next Wednesday.

[A]

See you then.

[C]

Oh, Unison, I love it.

[A]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land. Always was, always will be aboriginal land.