Dense forest with tall green pine trees viewed from above under soft lighting.
Stylized handwritten text reads "Welcome to THE GREAT." on a black background.

Where casual comfort meets nostalgic timelessness

Meet our founders
Emily Current and Meritt Elliott.

Emily Current and Meritt Elliott have been best friends and business partners for over two decades; as avid vintage collectors, stylists, designers, entrepreneurs, authors and brand builders. Together, they have grown up discovering and creating beautiful product that feels both familiar and casual, leading to their greatest professional achievement yet; THE GREAT., a comprehensive women's wear collection kicked off in 2015. Celebrated for their genuine, kind, and positive approach to both design and life, Emily and Meritt are dedicated to fostering supportive female friendships and embracing creative fearlessness.

Two women smiling, holding stacks of folded clothes. One wears a red top and necklace, the other a blue top. Text below reads, "Digging For Inspiration.
Two women smiling and holding a stack of clothes in a casual setting. Text reads, "A Stack of great moments.
Two women sitting on a couch in a vintage-styled photo. One wears a headscarf and striped top, the other has long hair and a patterned top. "Styling, 2001" is handwritten at the bottom.
Two women in denim outfits stand smiling in front of shelves filled with folded clothing. Handwritten text reads, "always in denim surrounded by knits.
Two women smiling, holding stacks of folded clothes. One wears a red top and necklace, the other a blue top. Text below reads, "Digging For Inspiration.
Two women in denim outfits stand smiling in front of shelves filled with folded clothing. Handwritten text reads, "always in denim surrounded by knits.

Meet our founders
Emily Current and Meritt Elliott.

Emily Current and Meritt Elliott have been best friends and business partners for over two decades; as avid vintage collectors, stylists, designers, entrepreneurs, authors and brand builders. Together, they have grown up discovering and creating beautiful product that feels both familiar and casual, leading to their greatest professional achievement yet; THE GREAT., a comprehensive women's wear collection kicked off in 2015. Celebrated for their genuine, kind, and positive approach to both design and life, Emily and Meritt are dedicated to fostering supportive female friendships and embracing creative fearlessness.

Two women smiling and holding a stack of clothes in a casual setting. Text reads, "A Stack of great moments.
Two women sitting on a couch in a vintage-styled photo. One wears a headscarf and striped top, the other has long hair and a patterned top. "Styling, 2001" is handwritten at the bottom.
A person sketches dress designs on paper surrounded by denim fabric swatches, a color palette, a bowl of paper clips, and a stapler. Designer sketching a dress by hand, with fabric swatches, denim samples, and color palettes on the table.

A BRIEF TIMELINE

Two people in fur coats sit in a grassy field. One person has dark hair and is smiling, while the other has light hair and a neutral expression.

1995

Both Northern California natives, their journey began as students at UCLA where they bonded over a shared love of everything denim and Americana and weekend hunts for the perfect pair of vintage jeans.

Handwritten-style text reading "Emily + Meritt" in black on a white background.

2000

Soon after graduation, they embarked on a creative partnership, dressing celebrities for the red carpet, styling editorials, and art directing advertising campaigns.

Person wearing a striped shirt and rolled-up jeans, standing outdoors in a grassy area, with "CURRENT/ELLIOTT" text overlay.

2008

The duo launched their denim brainchild the brand CURRENT/ELLIOTT, to much fan fare in 2008.Introducing the much buzzed about Boyfriend Jean, Emily and Meritt introduced a refreshing vintage inspired, casual aesthetic in the marketplace, and eventually exited the brand in a private equity buyout in 2012.

Two women with light brown and blonde hair wearing casual grey t-shirts and jeans stand together against a plain background.

2012

Emily and Meritt joined an elite rank of designers when they became members of the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

A girl in overalls sits in a decorated room. A PB Teen sign and a banner hang above featuring the Emily & Meritt collection.

2013

Emily and Meritt entered the home arena, applying their casual, charming worldview on everything from bedding to furniture for Pottery Barn Teen. Later in 2016, Emily + Meritt for POTTERY BARN BABY + KIDS debuts.

Person standing in a field wearing a white top and distressed jeans, with hands in pockets. Cover of "A Denim Story" book by Emily Current, Meritt Elliott, and Hilary Walsh.

2014

In a visual ode to their varied career, encapsulating their love affair with denim and imaginative world view, the two penned A Denim Story: Inspirations From Bellbottoms ToBoyfriends, a coffee table book published by Rizzoli, which is currently on its third re-print.

Two women with long hair stand by a pond, wearing light-colored blouses and shorts. The text "The Great" is overlaid on the image.

2015

THE GREAT., a fully realized women's lifestyle collection, is born and welcomed in over 200 of the world's premier retailers.

Street view of a store with a sign reading "The Great." The storefront features large glass windows and potted plants in front. A hanging sign and decorative gate are on the right.

2018

THE GREAT. opens its firstever flagship retail store in the heart of West Hollywood.

A rustic two-story wooden building with a brick base and large windows. A sign reads "THE GREAT." Outdoor seating and potted plants are visible.

2024

The GREAT. now has 7 stores including a NY flagship in SOHO with an eighth location opening in Montecito, CA by the end of the year.

About the great.

Celebrated for its soulful approach to softness and comfort with a tightly edited take on classic Americana, THE GREAT. is more than just a clothing line. The very heartbeat of the brand celebrates friendship, creativity, authenticity, and the importance of looking to the past for inspiration. Each piece reflects Emily & Meritt’s dedication to creating beautiful and functional clothing, emphasizing above all else, casual comfort and everyday ease.

Interior of a colorful clothing store with neatly folded garments on shelves and racks, featuring various styles and fabrics. A collage showing a clothing store interior, a rack with various hanging shirts, and shelves with folded jeans.
Interior of a colorful clothing store with neatly folded garments on shelves and racks, featuring various styles and fabrics. A collage showing a clothing store interior, a rack with various hanging shirts, and shelves with folded jeans.

About the great.

Celebrated for its soulful approach to softness and comfort with a tightly edited take on classic Americana, THE GREAT. is more than just a clothing line. The very heartbeat of the brand celebrates friendship, creativity, authenticity, and the importance of looking to the past for inspiration. Each piece reflects Emily & Meritt’s dedication to creating beautiful and functional clothing, emphasizing above all else, casual comfort and everyday ease.

Sunrise over misty mountain range, with a soft gradient sky and warm sunlight illuminating the peaks.

01

We are woman-led. In an industry historically led by men, we’re proud to be a female-founded business with 84% of women making up our leadership team and 25% of our overall team comprised of mothers. We forever champion the women we work with and celebrate the women we outfit.

02

We make clothes to last. We make clothes to land in people’s closets not landfills, so we “cut to order” which means we only produce what has and will sell.

03

We make things here at home. We aim to keep production local, with 60-70% of each seasonal collection manufactured right here in Los Angeles.

04

We give back as much as we can. We're YES people—from voting advocacy to national parks. Join us in raising awareness for meaningful causes. Share your ideas with us, and let’s make an impact together. Giving Feels GREAT.

05

We stay true to our origin. Our worldview is grounded in a vintage, timeless aesthetic. We prioritize garment construction and quality, and design to transcend trend, season, and time. Translation = keep forever.

our collaborations

Person walking on grass wearing brown boots and a beige crochet skirt with "Great & Red Wing Shoes" text overlay.
Person with curly hair sits sideways on a wooden chair, wearing layered clothing and sandals. Text overlay reads "Birkenstock by The Great.
Three people wearing colorful winter clothing stand outdoors with mountains in the background.
Person walking on grass wearing brown boots and a beige crochet skirt with "Great & Red Wing Shoes" text overlay.
Person with curly hair sits sideways on a wooden chair, wearing layered clothing and sandals. Text overlay reads "Birkenstock by The Great.
Three people wearing colorful winter clothing stand outdoors with mountains in the background.

our stores

Take a tour of our stores in California and NYC, where we honor each neighborhood through our unique worldview, offering a sense of discovery and casual comforts.

learn more
A sign reading "THE GREAT" hangs on a metal frame, with palm trees and a twilight sky in the background.
Clothing boutique interior with folded clothes on shelves, a central ottoman, wooden drawers, and a chandelier, leading into a room with a table and window view of trees.